Vulnerability-Lookup

FKIE_CVE-2021-29256

Vulnerability from fkie_nvd - Published: 2021-05-24 18:15 - Updated: 2026-06-17 03:47

Severity

8.8 (High) - CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.8 (High) - CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Summary

. The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver allows an unprivileged user to achieve access to freed memory, leading to information disclosure or root privilege escalation. This affects Bifrost r16p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, Valhall r19p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, and Midgard r28p0 through r30p0.

References

URL	Tags
cve@mitre.org	https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver	Vendor Advisory
af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108	https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver	Vendor Advisory
134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0	https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-29256	US Government Resource

Impacted products

Vendor	Product	Version
arm	bifrost_gpu_kernel_driver	*
arm	midgard_gpu_kernel_driver	*
arm	valhall_gpu_kernel_driver	*

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "affected": [
    {
      "affectedData": [
        {
          "product": "n/a",
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "source": "cve@mitre.org"
    }
  ],
  "cisaActionDue": "2023-07-28",
  "cisaExploitAdd": "2023-07-07",
  "cisaRequiredAction": "Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable.",
  "cisaVulnerabilityName": "Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free Vulnerability",
  "configurations": [
    {
      "nodes": [
        {
          "cpeMatch": [
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:arm:bifrost_gpu_kernel_driver:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "matchCriteriaId": "D168CEB1-DAE6-4C9F-B101-C84CA7C0396D",
              "versionEndExcluding": "r30p0",
              "versionStartIncluding": "r16p0",
              "vulnerable": true
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:arm:midgard_gpu_kernel_driver:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "matchCriteriaId": "EB12C4AB-50D7-49F7-A8C3-33A8629D3C96",
              "versionEndExcluding": "r31p0",
              "versionStartIncluding": "r28p0",
              "vulnerable": true
            },
            {
              "criteria": "cpe:2.3:a:arm:valhall_gpu_kernel_driver:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*",
              "matchCriteriaId": "E9713B79-2EFF-49C1-8B8F-4CA969BA351E",
              "versionEndExcluding": "r30p0",
              "versionStartIncluding": "r19p0",
              "vulnerable": true
            }
          ],
          "negate": false,
          "operator": "OR"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "cveTags": [],
  "descriptions": [
    {
      "lang": "en",
      "value": ". The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver allows an unprivileged user to achieve access to freed memory, leading to information disclosure or root privilege escalation. This affects Bifrost r16p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, Valhall r19p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, and Midgard r28p0 through r30p0."
    },
    {
      "lang": "es",
      "value": "El controlador del kernel de la GPU Arm Mali, permite a un usuario no privilegiado acceder a la memoria liberada, conllevando a una divulgaci\u00f3n de informaci\u00f3n o una escalada de privilegios de root.\u0026#xa0;Esto afecta a Bifrost versiones r16p0 hasta r29p0 anteriores a r30p0, Valhall r19p0 hasta r29p0 anteriores a r30p0 y Midgard versiones r28p0 hasta r30p0"
    }
  ],
  "id": "CVE-2021-29256",
  "lastModified": "2026-06-17T03:47:27.647",
  "metrics": {
    "cvssMetricV2": [
      {
        "acInsufInfo": false,
        "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
        "cvssData": {
          "accessComplexity": "LOW",
          "accessVector": "NETWORK",
          "authentication": "SINGLE",
          "availabilityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "baseScore": 9.0,
          "confidentialityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "integrityImpact": "COMPLETE",
          "vectorString": "AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C",
          "version": "2.0"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 8.0,
        "impactScore": 10.0,
        "obtainAllPrivilege": false,
        "obtainOtherPrivilege": false,
        "obtainUserPrivilege": false,
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "type": "Primary",
        "userInteractionRequired": false
      }
    ],
    "cvssMetricV31": [
      {
        "cvssData": {
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "baseScore": 8.8,
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "version": "3.1"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.8,
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
        "type": "Primary"
      },
      {
        "cvssData": {
          "attackComplexity": "LOW",
          "attackVector": "NETWORK",
          "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
          "baseScore": 8.8,
          "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
          "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
          "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
          "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
          "scope": "UNCHANGED",
          "userInteraction": "NONE",
          "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
          "version": "3.1"
        },
        "exploitabilityScore": 2.8,
        "impactScore": 5.9,
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "type": "Secondary"
      }
    ],
    "ssvcV203": [
      {
        "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
        "ssvcData": {
          "id": "CVE-2021-29256",
          "options": [
            {
              "exploitation": "active"
            },
            {
              "automatable": "no"
            },
            {
              "technicalImpact": "total"
            }
          ],
          "role": "CISA Coordinator",
          "timestamp": "2025-02-04T19:43:25.118908Z",
          "version": "2.0.3"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "published": "2021-05-24T18:15:08.033",
  "references": [
    {
      "source": "cve@mitre.org",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "url": "https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver"
    },
    {
      "source": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
      "tags": [
        "Vendor Advisory"
      ],
      "url": "https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver"
    },
    {
      "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
      "tags": [
        "US Government Resource"
      ],
      "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-29256"
    }
  ],
  "sourceIdentifier": "cve@mitre.org",
  "vulnStatus": "Analyzed",
  "weaknesses": [
    {
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-416"
        }
      ],
      "source": "nvd@nist.gov",
      "type": "Primary"
    },
    {
      "description": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": "CWE-416"
        }
      ],
      "source": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
      "type": "Secondary"
    }
  ]
}

CVE-2021-29256 (GCVE-0-2021-29256)

Vulnerability from cvelistv5 – Published: 2021-05-24 17:56 – Updated: 2025-10-21 23:25

Summary

Severity

8.8 (High)


                        
                          CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

SSVC

Exploitation: active Automatable: no Technical Impact: total

CISA Coordinator · CISA-ADP (v2.0.3)

Decision recorded 2025-02-04 19:43 UTC

CWE

n/a
CWE-416 - Use After Free

Assigner

mitre CNA under the mitre root

CNA scorecard E 28/100 over 2333 records in the last 180 days details

References

2 references

URL	Tags
https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-up…	x_refsource_CONFIRM
https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilit…	government-resource

Show details on NVD website

JSON

To clipboard

{
  "containers": {
    "adp": [
      {
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2024-08-03T22:02:51.225Z",
          "orgId": "af854a3a-2127-422b-91ae-364da2661108",
          "shortName": "CVE"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "x_refsource_CONFIRM",
              "x_transferred"
            ],
            "url": "https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CVE Program Container"
      },
      {
        "metrics": [
          {
            "cvssV3_1": {
              "attackComplexity": "LOW",
              "attackVector": "NETWORK",
              "availabilityImpact": "HIGH",
              "baseScore": 8.8,
              "baseSeverity": "HIGH",
              "confidentialityImpact": "HIGH",
              "integrityImpact": "HIGH",
              "privilegesRequired": "LOW",
              "scope": "UNCHANGED",
              "userInteraction": "NONE",
              "vectorString": "CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H",
              "version": "3.1"
            }
          },
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "id": "CVE-2021-29256",
                "options": [
                  {
                    "Exploitation": "active"
                  },
                  {
                    "Automatable": "no"
                  },
                  {
                    "Technical Impact": "total"
                  }
                ],
                "role": "CISA Coordinator",
                "timestamp": "2025-02-04T19:43:25.118908Z",
                "version": "2.0.3"
              },
              "type": "ssvc"
            }
          },
          {
            "other": {
              "content": {
                "dateAdded": "2023-07-07",
                "reference": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-29256"
              },
              "type": "kev"
            }
          }
        ],
        "problemTypes": [
          {
            "descriptions": [
              {
                "cweId": "CWE-416",
                "description": "CWE-416 Use After Free",
                "lang": "en",
                "type": "CWE"
              }
            ]
          }
        ],
        "providerMetadata": {
          "dateUpdated": "2025-10-21T23:25:45.386Z",
          "orgId": "134c704f-9b21-4f2e-91b3-4a467353bcc0",
          "shortName": "CISA-ADP"
        },
        "references": [
          {
            "tags": [
              "government-resource"
            ],
            "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2021-29256"
          }
        ],
        "timeline": [
          {
            "lang": "en",
            "time": "2023-07-07T00:00:00.000Z",
            "value": "CVE-2021-29256 added to CISA KEV"
          }
        ],
        "title": "CISA ADP Vulnrichment"
      }
    ],
    "cna": {
      "affected": [
        {
          "product": "n/a",
          "vendor": "n/a",
          "versions": [
            {
              "status": "affected",
              "version": "n/a"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "descriptions": [
        {
          "lang": "en",
          "value": ". The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver allows an unprivileged user to achieve access to freed memory, leading to information disclosure or root privilege escalation. This affects Bifrost r16p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, Valhall r19p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, and Midgard r28p0 through r30p0."
        }
      ],
      "problemTypes": [
        {
          "descriptions": [
            {
              "description": "n/a",
              "lang": "en",
              "type": "text"
            }
          ]
        }
      ],
      "providerMetadata": {
        "dateUpdated": "2021-05-24T17:56:27.000Z",
        "orgId": "8254265b-2729-46b6-b9e3-3dfca2d5bfca",
        "shortName": "mitre"
      },
      "references": [
        {
          "tags": [
            "x_refsource_CONFIRM"
          ],
          "url": "https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver"
        }
      ],
      "x_legacyV4Record": {
        "CVE_data_meta": {
          "ASSIGNER": "cve@mitre.org",
          "ID": "CVE-2021-29256",
          "STATE": "PUBLIC"
        },
        "affects": {
          "vendor": {
            "vendor_data": [
              {
                "product": {
                  "product_data": [
                    {
                      "product_name": "n/a",
                      "version": {
                        "version_data": [
                          {
                            "version_value": "n/a"
                          }
                        ]
                      }
                    }
                  ]
                },
                "vendor_name": "n/a"
              }
            ]
          }
        },
        "data_format": "MITRE",
        "data_type": "CVE",
        "data_version": "4.0",
        "description": {
          "description_data": [
            {
              "lang": "eng",
              "value": ". The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver allows an unprivileged user to achieve access to freed memory, leading to information disclosure or root privilege escalation. This affects Bifrost r16p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, Valhall r19p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, and Midgard r28p0 through r30p0."
            }
          ]
        },
        "problemtype": {
          "problemtype_data": [
            {
              "description": [
                {
                  "lang": "eng",
                  "value": "n/a"
                }
              ]
            }
          ]
        },
        "references": {
          "reference_data": [
            {
              "name": "https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver",
              "refsource": "CONFIRM",
              "url": "https://developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver"
            }
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  },
  "cveMetadata": {
    "assignerOrgId": "8254265b-2729-46b6-b9e3-3dfca2d5bfca",
    "assignerShortName": "mitre",
    "cveId": "CVE-2021-29256",
    "datePublished": "2021-05-24T17:56:27.000Z",
    "dateReserved": "2021-03-26T00:00:00.000Z",
    "dateUpdated": "2025-10-21T23:25:45.386Z",
    "state": "PUBLISHED"
  },
  "dataType": "CVE_RECORD",
  "dataVersion": "5.1"
}

Sightings

Author	Source	Type	Date	Other

Nomenclature

Seen: The vulnerability was mentioned, discussed, or observed by the user.
Confirmed: The vulnerability has been validated from an analyst's perspective.
Published Proof of Concept: A public proof of concept is available for this vulnerability.
Exploited: The vulnerability was observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Patched: The vulnerability was observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.
Not exploited: The vulnerability was not observed as exploited by the user who reported the sighting.
Not confirmed: The user expressed doubt about the validity of the vulnerability.
Not patched: The vulnerability was not observed as successfully patched by the user who reported the sighting.

Vulnerability timeline

Sightings and recorded dates, grouped by day · UTC

Order JSON

Publication & reservation Sightings KEV catalogs Other timestamps

Loading timeline…

The MITRE ATT&CK techniques below are AI-generated suggestions, inferred from the description of the vulnerability by the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-classification-roberta-base model, served locally by ML-Gateway. They have not been verified by an analyst and are provided for guidance only.
The approach is described in our paper Mapping CVEs to MITRE ATT&CK Techniques: A Curated Gold-Set Classifier and the Limits of LLM-Assisted Label Expansion.
Browse all ATT&CK techniques and the vulnerabilities related to each.

Related by attack behaviour

Vulnerabilities whose description is nearest to this one in the vector space of the CIRCL/vulnerability-attack-technique-biencoder model. This is a similarity search over the bi-encoder space (plain cosine), not a classification, and it has no measured accuracy.

Action not permitted