Active Exploitation of Mali GPU Kernel Driver Flaw

Date: June 10, 2024
CVE: CVE-2024-4610
Vulnerability Type: [[Use-After-Free]] (UAF)
CWE: [[CWE-416]], [[CWE-119]]
Sources: Bleeping Computer, The Register, HotHardware

Synopsis

Arm has issued a security bulletin concerning a critical memory-related vulnerability in its Mali GPU kernel drivers, which is currently being exploited in the wild. This vulnerability affects Bifrost and Valhall GPU kernel drivers across multiple versions.

Issue Summary

The vulnerability, identified as [[CVE-2024-4610]], is a [[use-after-free]] flaw in the Mali GPU kernel drivers. This flaw allows a local non-privileged user to perform improper GPU memory operations, gaining access to already freed memory. The flaw impacts all versions of the Bifrost and Valhall drivers from r34p0 through r40p0.

Technical Key Findings

Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to use a pointer to a memory location after it has been freed. This can lead to serious issues such as information disclosure and arbitrary code execution. In the case of CVE-2024-4610, a local attacker could exploit this flaw to execute arbitrary code on the affected system, potentially leading to a full system compromise.

Vulnerable Products

• Bifrost GPUs: Versions r34p0 to r40p0
• Valhall GPUs: Versions r34p0 to r40p0
• Devices: Including but not limited to Samsung Galaxy S20, Xiaomi Redmi K30, Motorola Edge 40, OnePlus Nord 2, Chromebooks, and various embedded systems.

Impact Assessment

Exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to severe consequences, including unauthorized access to sensitive information, system compromise, and potential deployment of malware. The vulnerability's exploitation in the wild indicates a significant risk, especially for high-value targets such as activists and journalists.

Patches or Workaround

Arm has released a patch for this vulnerability in version r41p0 of the Bifrost and Valhall GPU Kernel Driver, available since November 24, 2022. Users are advised to update their drivers to the latest version to mitigate this risk. Due to the complexity of the supply chain, some users may experience delays in receiving the updates.

Tags

#CVE-2024-4610 #MaliGPU #Arm #UseAfterFree #Vulnerability #Patch #CyberSecurity #AndroidDevices #SystemCompromise #HighRisk