# CVE-2023-5249: Mali GPU Kernel Driver allows improper GPU memory processing operations

> A local attacker can exploit a race condition in the Mali GPU kernel driver to trigger a use-after-free, potentially leading to code execution or privilege escalation.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/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:** Yes
- **Published:** 5 Feb 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** A-301630648, ASB-A-301630648, GHSA-839x-p2jc-q87x

## What is CVE-2023-5249?

CVE-2023-5249 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver, published on 5 Feb 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Use After Free vulnerability in Arm Ltd Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver, Arm Ltd Valhall GPU Kernel Driver allows a local non-privileged user to make improper memory processing operations to exploit a software race condition. If the system’s memory is carefully prepared by the user, then this in turn cause a use-after-free.This issue affects Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver: from r35p0 through r40p0; Valhall GPU Kernel Driver: from r35p0 through r40p0.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-5249?

It affects 2 products.


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

## How do I fix CVE-2023-5249?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2023-5249 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-5249 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-2021-28664](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-28664/): Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Unspecified (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)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-5249 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-5249 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Arm Valhall Gpu Kernel Driver, published on 5 Feb 2024. 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-2023-5249 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2023-5249/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5249/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-5249
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-5249
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-5249

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-5249/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.