# CVE-2021-28664: Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Unspecified

> Unprivileged users can exploit memory corruption in the Arm Mali GPU kernel driver to escalate privileges or cause denial of service on Android devices.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 3 Nov 2021 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 10 May 2021
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** A-174588870, ASB-A-174588870, GHSA-w62f-9gm7-596f

## What is CVE-2021-28664?

CVE-2021-28664 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver, published on 10 May 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver allows privilege escalation or a denial of service (memory corruption) because an unprivileged user can achieve read/write access to read-only pages. This affects Bifrost r0p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, Valhall r19p0 through r29p0 before r30p0, and Midgard r8p0 through r30p0 before r31p0.

Weakness: CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-28664?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Arm Bifrost Gpu Kernel Driver, Arm Midgard Gpu Kernel Driver, Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-28664?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 17 Nov 2021.

## Is CVE-2021-28664 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2021-28664 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Public exploit code:

- A POC of CVE-2021-28664 (github_poc): https://github.com/woaphone/CVE-2021-28664-PoC

## Other vulnerabilities in Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver

- [CVE-2022-38181](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38181/): Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-29256](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-29256/): Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-28663](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28663/): Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Use-After-Free (high 8.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-22706](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22706/): Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Unspecified (high 7.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-4610](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-4610/): Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free (high 7.4, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-28664 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-28664 is a high-severity memory corruption vulnerability in Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver, published on 10 May 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2021-28664 in the wild since at least 3 Nov 2021.

Affected product: Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28664/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28664/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-28664
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-28664
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-28664

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28664/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.