CVE-2020-12911 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A denial of service vulnerability exists in the D3DKMTCreateAllocation handler functionality of AMD ATIKMDAG.SYS, potentially leading to a BSOD. This CVE affects the AMD Graphics Driver for Windows.

Understanding CVE-2020-12911

This CVE involves an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the AMD Graphics Driver for Windows.

What is CVE-2020-12911?

The vulnerability is triggered by a specially crafted D3DKMTCreateAllocation API request.
It can result in an out-of-bounds read and denial of service, which can lead to a BSOD.
The issue can be exploited by a non-privileged account.

The Impact of CVE-2020-12911

Attackers can exploit this vulnerability to cause a denial of service condition on affected systems.
This could potentially lead to system crashes and disruption of services.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-12911

This section provides more technical insights into the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability exists in the D3DKMTCreateAllocation handler functionality of AMD ATIKMDAG.SYS.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: AMD Graphics Driver for Windows
Version: Fixed in version 20.50 and later

Exploitation Mechanism

A specially crafted D3DKMTCreateAllocation API request triggers the vulnerability.

Mitigation and Prevention

Here are the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2020-12911.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the patch provided by AMD to fix the vulnerability.
Monitor AMD's security advisories for any updates or additional guidance.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update the AMD Graphics Driver to the latest version.
Implement the principle of least privilege to limit the impact of potential attacks.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that all systems running the affected AMD Graphics Driver are updated to version 20.50 or later to mitigate the vulnerability.