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CVE-2026-23132 is a vulnerability found in the Linux kernel’s Synopsys DesignWare DisplayPort (dw-dp) bridge driver. The issue resides in the error handling paths of the `dw_dp_bind` function, which is responsible for initializing and attaching the display bridge. The flaw manifests in three distinct ways. First, if the `drm_bridge_attach` function fails, the code misses a return statement, causing the function to continue executing as if nothing went wrong. Second, a resource leak occurs because `drm_dp_aux_register` is not a managed (devm) function. If any subsequent step fails—such as phy_init, retrieving an interrupt with platform_get_irq, or requesting a threaded IRQ—the previously registered AUX channel is not unregistered, leading to memory or resource leaks. Third, an incorrect error return path misuses the `ERR_PTR` macro; instead of returning the error code from the IRQ number, it returns an unrelated value. The fix centralizes all error handling by introducing a single `goto` label to ensure proper cleanup, including the necessary call to drm_dp_aux_unregister, and corrects the pointer return logic. This vulnerability is classified as medium severity because it can lead to system instability or resource exhaustion, though it requires local access to trigger .
dailycve form:
Platform: Linux Kernel
Version: 6.18 to 6.19
Vulnerability : Error Handling Flaw
Severity: Medium
date: 2026-02-14
Prediction: Patch already available
What Undercode Say:
Analytics:
The vulnerability affects kernel versions starting from 6.18 up to the fix implemented in 6.18.8 and 6.19. The fix was committed on February 14, 2026, and downstream distributions like Ubuntu have marked specific kernels as “Not affected” or have backported the fix . The issue has a CVSS v3 base score of 5.5 (Medium), with a vector string of AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H, indicating a local attack vector, low complexity, and high availability impact . The EPSS score is very low at 0.019%, suggesting active exploitation is unlikely at this time .
Exploit:
This vulnerability is not directly exploitable for privilege escalation or code execution. Instead, an attacker with local access could potentially trigger the error paths to cause a kernel memory leak or a system hang (denial of service). For example, by inducing a failure in `phy_init` or by causing an IRQ request to fail after the AUX channel has been registered, the `drm_dp_aux_unregister` function would not be called, leaking the AUX device. Repeated exploitation could exhaust system resources. The following code snippet illustrates the flawed logic before the patch:
static int dw_dp_bind(struct device dev, ...)
{
...
ret = drm_dp_aux_register(&dp->aux);
if (ret)
return ret;
ret = phy_init(dp->phy);
if (ret)
goto err_aux; // Missing: should be goto err_aux, but wasn't called in all paths
ret = platform_get_irq(pdev, 0);
if (ret < 0)
return ERR_PTR(ret); // Bug: returning wrong pointer, should be dp->irq
...
}
Protection from this CVE:
- Apply Kernel Patch: The primary mitigation is to update the Linux kernel to version 6.18.8, 6.19, or any subsequent release that includes the commit `1a0f69e3c284` or `569ed6a73e92` .
- Distribution Updates: Install the latest updates from your Linux distribution. For example, Ubuntu users should ensure they are running kernel versions marked as “Not affected” or have applied the latest HWE (Hardware Enablement) kernels .
- Restrict Local Access: Since the vulnerability requires local access, limit user accounts and services that can interact with the DRM subsystem.
Impact:
Successful exploitation leads to denial of service through resource leaks or system instability. The primary impact is on system availability (A:H). There is no impact on confidentiality or integrity according to the CVSS vector. This makes it a stability concern rather than a security breach for data theft.
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Sources:
Reported By: nvd.nist.gov
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