CVE-2022-28348 in Midgard
Summary
by MITRE • 05/19/2022
Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver (Midgard r4p0 through r31p0, Bifrost r0p0 through r36p0 before r37p0, and Valhall r19p0 through r36p0 before r37p0) allows improper GPU memory operations to reach a use-after-free situation.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/26/2022
The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver vulnerability CVE-2022-28348 represents a critical security flaw affecting multiple generations of Arm's graphics processing units including Midgard, Bifrost, and Valhall architectures. This vulnerability stems from improper memory management operations within the kernel driver that can lead to a use-after-free condition, a common class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code or cause system instability. The affected versions span from Midgard r4p0 through r31p0, Bifrost r0p0 through r36p0 before r37p0, and Valhall r19p0 through r36p0 before r37p0, indicating a widespread impact across Arm's GPU ecosystem. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level where privilege escalation opportunities exist, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to gain elevated system privileges. The use-after-free condition occurs when the kernel driver fails to properly manage memory references, allowing freed memory blocks to be accessed or reused before proper deallocation, which can result in unpredictable behavior and potential exploitation.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves manipulating GPU memory operations to trigger a race condition or improper memory handling that leads to memory corruption. Attackers can potentially leverage this flaw to execute malicious code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing normal security boundaries and gaining full control over the affected system. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple memory corruption as it can be used to escalate privileges, potentially allowing attackers to access sensitive data, modify system files, or establish persistent backdoors. The use-after-free condition creates a predictable pattern of memory corruption that can be systematically exploited through carefully crafted GPU operations, making it particularly dangerous in environments where GPU acceleration is actively used. This vulnerability type is categorized under CWE-416 as Use After Free, which is classified as a high-severity issue in the Common Weakness Enumeration catalog and is commonly associated with privilege escalation attacks in kernel space.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-28348 is significant across various computing environments including mobile devices, embedded systems, and servers that utilize Arm Mali GPUs. Mobile devices running Android or other operating systems with Arm Mali GPU support are particularly vulnerable, as these systems often lack robust kernel-level security mitigations. The vulnerability can be exploited through legitimate GPU operations, meaning that even normal user activities could trigger the exploit, making detection and prevention challenging. Systems using graphics-intensive applications, gaming platforms, or virtualization technologies that rely on GPU acceleration are at heightened risk. The vulnerability's presence in multiple GPU generations indicates that organizations need to consider comprehensive patch management strategies across their entire fleet of devices. Additionally, the exploitability of this vulnerability can be amplified in environments where GPU operations are frequently performed, such as in enterprise workstations, servers, or mobile devices with active graphics processing.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-28348 should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Arm and device manufacturers, as this vulnerability represents a critical security risk requiring urgent attention. Organizations should implement comprehensive monitoring of GPU-related system calls and memory operations to detect potential exploitation attempts, leveraging security information and event management systems to identify anomalous behavior patterns. Kernel memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and kernel address space layout randomization should be enabled to make exploitation more difficult. Device manufacturers should consider implementing runtime protections and memory sanitization techniques to prevent improper memory operations from reaching critical system components. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of vulnerable systems, particularly in enterprise environments where GPU acceleration is used. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) indicates that organizations should review their privilege escalation detection capabilities and implement additional monitoring for suspicious kernel-level activities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include GPU-specific checks to identify systems running vulnerable firmware versions, with particular attention to embedded systems and IoT devices that may not receive regular updates.