Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
A flaw in Linux’s MediaTek video decoder can access a deleted decoder context after unexpected SCP hardware behavior. The documented result is a fatal kernel crash, potentially taking an affected device or service offline. Risk is concentrated in systems using the relevant MediaTek codec driver, rather than all Linux installations.
Executive priority
Treat this as an expedited patching issue for confirmed MediaTek-based devices, especially shared endpoints or systems requiring high availability. It is not supported as an active-exploitation emergency, but the demonstrated kernel panic creates credible outage risk. Systems without the relevant driver and hardware path are unlikely to be exposed.
Technical view
The MediaTek vcodec decoder’s context list lacked locking. If unexpected SCP behavior caused that list to be deleted, vpu_dec_ipi_handler could dereference a NULL pointer and panic the kernel. The cited stable commits add locking to protect the list. CVSS 3.1 rates this 7.8 with local, low-privilege access required.
Likely exposure
Likely exposure is limited to Linux systems using the MediaTek video-decoder and SCP path. The bundle identifies releases including 6.6, 6.6.27, 6.8.6, and 6.9, but its exact version boundaries are incomplete. Vendor backports may also change whether a particular build is vulnerable.
Exploitation context
The supplied CVSS vector requires local access and low privileges, with no user interaction. The documented failure occurred on a Google juniper board and caused a kernel panic. CISA KEV status is false, and the supplied sources provide no evidence of active exploitation or a public exploit.
Researcher notes
The description directly supports a locking defect, NULL dereference, and kernel panic. Although the supplied CVSS rates confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts high, the narrative only demonstrates availability loss. No CWE is supplied, and the simplified affected-version data does not establish precise vulnerable intervals. Confirm branch-specific status against vendor provenance and the cited commits.
Mitigation direction
- Update to a vendor-supported kernel containing the applicable cited stable fix commit.
- If updating is delayed, request supported backport or mitigation guidance from the Linux distribution or device vendor.
- Prioritize affected devices where untrusted local users or workloads can access MediaTek video decoding.
Validation and detection
- Inventory devices using the MediaTek vcodec decoder and associated SCP hardware path.
- Record each device’s exact kernel release and vendor build identifier.
- Confirm the applicable stable fix is present through vendor advisories or kernel build provenance.
- Review logs for vpu_dec_ipi_handler NULL dereferences, kernel oops events, or unexplained panics.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CVE-2024-35920 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- High
- CVSS
- 7.8 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
SSVC decision data
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H1.85.9LinuxVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
7.8HighVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Vulnerability timeline
Timeline events are normalized from CVE metadata, CNA source timelines, ADP timelines, and KEV metadata when present.
- CVE reservedCVE Program
The CVE ID was reserved by the assigning CNA.
- CVE publishedCVE Program
The CVE record was published.
- CVE updatedCVE Program
The CVE record metadata indicates this as the latest update time.
ADP provider summaries
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/0a2dc707aa42214f9c4827bd57e344e29a0841d6CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/23aaf824121055ba81b55f75444355bd83c8eb38CVE reference, Linux
- https://git.kernel.org/stable/c/6467cda18c9f9b5f2f9a0aa1e2861c653e41f382CVE reference, Linux
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.