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Actively exploited

CVE-2021-29256 Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free Vulnerability

Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver contains a use-after-free vulnerability that may allow a non-privileged user to gain root privilege and/or disclose information.

From the CISA KEV catalogue version 2026.11.06, with Cybergen analysis. Updated 6 Nov 2026.

Our Assessment

Should You Worry?

Patch urgentlyCybergen assessment
  • CISA confirmed exploitation in the wild and added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 7 Jul 2023.
  • Rated High severity (CVSS 8.8, scored by CISA).
  • It has been in the catalogue for 1,218 days. Systems still unpatched now have almost certainly been scanned for it.
The Vulnerability

What It Is

. 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.

From Watch to Action

What To Do Now

  1. 1

    Find it

    Search your asset inventory and external attack surface for Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). Include cloud images, appliances and anything a supplier runs for you.

    Attack Surface Management
  2. 2

    Fix it

    Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable.

    Vulnerability Management
  3. 3

    Hunt for compromise

    If an affected system was reachable before you patched, assume it may have been hit. Check logs, new accounts, web shells and outbound connections from the date of exposure.

    Incident Response
  4. 4

    Prove it is fixed

    Rescan or test the system after patching. Upgrades that fail silently and forgotten secondary instances are common.

    Penetration Testing

Vendor Advisories

Regulation

The Compliance Clock

Cyber EssentialsRated high, so if it affects devices in your Cyber Essentials scope, the update must be installed within 14 days of the vendor releasing it.NIS2If exploitation causes a significant incident, essential and important entities owe their CSIRT an early warning within 24 hours and a notification within 72 hours.DORAFinancial entities must classify ICT incidents and send an initial notification for a major incident within strict deadlines, with exploited flaws a common cause.US federal (BOD 22-01)Federal civilian agencies had until 28 Jul 2023 to remediate. A sensible benchmark for everyone else.

General guidance, not legal advice. Your obligations depend on your sector, scope and jurisdiction.

Stay Ahead

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CVE-2024-4610Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free VulnerabilityAdded 12 Jun 2024CVE-2023-4211Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free VulnerabilityAdded 3 Oct 2023CVE-2023-26083Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Information Disclosure VulnerabilityAdded 7 Apr 2023CVE-2022-38181Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free VulnerabilityAdded 30 Mar 2023CVE-2022-22706Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Unspecified VulnerabilityAdded 30 Mar 2023CVE-2021-27562Arm Trusted Firmware Out-of-Bounds Write VulnerabilityAdded 3 Nov 2021

All 9 exploited Arm vulnerabilities

Not Sure If You Are Exposed?

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Evidence

Sources

  1. CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue
  2. NVD: CVE-2021-29256
  3. CVE record: CVE-2021-29256
  4. FIRST EPSS
  5. developer.arm.com/Arm%20Security%20Center/Mali%20GPU%20Driver%20Vulnerabilities
  6. developer.arm.com/support/arm-security-updates/mali-gpu-kernel-driver