Kernel Vulnerability in AMD Graphics Driver Affecting Linux Systems

CVE-2026-80542

What is CVE-2026-80542?

A vulnerability in the AMD GPU driver for the Linux kernel allows for a NULL pointer dereference when querying vertical blanking (vblank). Specifically, the amdgpu_dm_crtc_set_vblank() function dereferences acrtc_state->stream before ensuring it is properly attached to a stream. This issue can lead to unexpected system behavior, including crashes. Developers have implemented a guard in the code to check that acrtc_state->stream is non-NULL before enabling vblank, thereby resolving the vulnerability.

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