CVE-2019-0154

A flaw was found in Intel graphics hardware (GPU) where a local attacker with the ability to issue an ioctl could trigger a hardware level crash if MMIO registers were read while the graphics card was in a low-power state. This creates a denial of service situation and the GPU and connected displays will remain unusable until a reboot occurs.

Intel plans to release BIOS firmware to correct this issue. Red Hat's kernel update should mitigate this vulnerability. Some older hardware will not have BIOS firmware update and will rely on operating system level protection to prevent access while the device is in low-power states. For more information see https://access.redhat.com/solutions/i915-graphics

The CVSS score(s) listed for this vulnerability do not reflect the associated product's status, and are included for informational purposes to better understand the severity of this vulnerability.

Preventing loading of the i915 kernel module will prevent attackers from using this exploit against the system however the power management functionality of the card will be disabled and the system may draw additional power. See this KCS article (https://access.redhat.com/solutions/41278) for instructions on how to disable a kernel module. Graphical displays may also be at low resolution or not work correctly. This mitigation may not be suitable if running graphical tools locally is required.