# CVE-2021-34403: Use after free in SHIELD TV

> Local attackers can exploit a use-after-free in nvmap ioctl to escalate privileges, compromise data, or cause denial of service on NVIDIA Linux systems.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 Jan 2022
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5xrh-mp7v-54g6

## What is CVE-2021-34403?

CVE-2021-34403 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in NVIDIA SHIELD TV, published on 18 Jan 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

NVIDIA Linux distributions contain a vulnerability in nvmap ioctl, which allows any user with a local account to exploit a use-after-free condition, leading to code privilege escalation, loss of confidentiality and integrity, or denial of service.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-34403?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Nvidia Shield Experience.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-34403?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-34403 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-34403 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-34403 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in NVIDIA SHIELD TV

- [CVE-2021-34401](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34401/): Missing authorization in SHIELD TV (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-1068](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-1068/): Memory corruption in SHIELD TV (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2019-5699](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5699/): Memory corruption in NVIDIA SHIELD TV (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2019-5700](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5700/): Code injection in NVIDIA SHIELD TV (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2019-5679](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5679/): Auth bypass in SHIELD TV (high 7.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-34403 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-34403 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in NVIDIA SHIELD TV, published on 18 Jan 2022. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-34403 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: NVIDIA SHIELD TV. 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-2021-34403/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34403/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-34403
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-34403
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34403

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34403/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.