# CVE-2026-5729: Mali GPU Kernel Driver allows access to already freed memory

> A local attacker can exploit a use-after-free flaw in the Mali GPU kernel driver to access freed memory, potentially leading to code execution or privilege escalation.

- **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:** Yes
- **Published:** 8 Sep 2026
- **Updated:** 10 Sep 2026
- **Also known as:** A-527029873, ASB-A-527029873, GHSA-5pq5-p4p5-8pfg

## What is CVE-2026-5729?

CVE-2026-5729 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver, published on 8 Sep 2026. 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 Valhall GPU Kernel Driver, Arm Ltd Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver allows a local non-privileged user process to perform valid GPU processing operations to access already freed memory.

This issue affects Valhall GPU Kernel Driver: from r50p0 through r54p3, r55p0; Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver: from r50p0 through r54p3, r55p0.

Weakness: CWE-416 (Use After Free)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-5729?


## How do I fix CVE-2026-5729?

Apply the vendor's patch.

## Is CVE-2026-5729 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2026-5729 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2026-5729 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2026-5729 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver, published on 8 Sep 2026. 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-2026-5729 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture 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-2026-5729/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5729/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2026-5729
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-5729
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2026-5729

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-5729/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.