CVE-2025-40354

Local kernel crash via NULL link encoder dereference

Published Dec 16, 2025 · Updated Dec 16, 2025

NULL pointer dereference in the AMD display driver in Linux allows local users to crash the kernel during hardware initialization. The dcn401_init_hw path reads link->link_enc for a DPIA connector without a display_endpoint, and dc->links reserves 12 slots although supported configurations require 14. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and affected AMD display hardware on Linux 4.15 through 6.12.55 or 6.13 through 6.17.5.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.15%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

NULL pointer dereference in the AMD display driver in Linux allows local users to crash the kernel during hardware initialization. The dcn401_init_hw path reads link->link_enc for a DPIA connector without a display_endpoint, and dc->links reserves 12 slots although supported configurations require 14. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and affected AMD display hardware on Linux 4.15 through 6.12.55 or 6.13 through 6.17.5.

The record

CVE
CVE-2025-40354
Published
Dec 16, 2025
Updated
Dec 16, 2025
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-476
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Dec 16, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 16, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a3fc0d36cfb927f8986b83bf5fba47dbedad3c63
  2. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bec947cbe9a65783adb475a5fb47980d7b4f4796
  3. Affected versionversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f28092be4e12b7df9e4f415d25bf0d767bc2d9ed

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <a3fc0d36cfb927f8986b83bf5fba47dbedad3c63; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <bec947cbe9a65783adb475a5fb47980d7b4f4796; version=1da177e4c3f41524e886b7f1b8a0c1fc7321cac2 <f28092be4e12b7df9e4f415d25bf0d767bc2d9ed

Published CVSS scores

7.8Linux CNACVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-476NULL Pointer Dereference

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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