CVE-2023-6241 in Midgard GPU Kernel Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 03/04/2024
Use After Free vulnerability in Arm Ltd Midgard GPU Kernel Driver, Arm Ltd Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver, Arm Ltd Valhall GPU Kernel Driver, Arm Ltd Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver allows a local non-privileged user to exploit a software race condition to perform improper memory processing operations. If the system’s memory is carefully prepared by the user, then this in turn cause a use-after-free.This issue affects Midgard GPU Kernel Driver: from r13p0 through r32p0; Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver: from r11p0 through r25p0; Valhall GPU Kernel Driver: from r19p0 through r25p0, from r29p0 through r46p0; Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver: from r41p0 through r46p0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/10/2025
The CVE-2023-6241 vulnerability represents a critical use-after-free condition within Arm Ltd's GPU kernel drivers, specifically affecting the Midgard, Bifrost, and Valhall GPU architectures along with the 5th generation GPU architecture. This flaw exists in the kernel-level components responsible for managing graphics processing unit operations, creating a pathway for local privilege escalation through improper memory handling. The vulnerability manifests as a software race condition that allows a non-privileged user to manipulate system memory in a manner that leads to memory corruption and potential code execution. The affected driver versions span multiple releases including Midgard from r13p0 through r32p0, Bifrost from r11p0 through r25p0, and Valhall across multiple version ranges from r19p0 through r25p0 and from r29p0 through r46p0, with the 5th generation architecture affected from r41p0 through r46p0.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability relies on a sophisticated memory manipulation attack that takes advantage of timing dependencies within the kernel driver's memory management functions. When the system's memory is carefully prepared by the attacker, the race condition allows for the allocation and deallocation of memory blocks in an improper sequence, creating a scenario where freed memory is accessed after it has been returned to the system pool. This particular implementation flaw falls under the CWE-416 category of Use After Free conditions, which is classified as a common weakness in software security practices. The vulnerability's impact is amplified by its location within kernel space, where memory corruption can lead to complete system compromise and privilege escalation from user-level to kernel-level execution. The race condition aspect of this flaw means that successful exploitation requires precise timing and memory preparation techniques, making it particularly challenging to detect and prevent through standard security measures.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-6241 extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it provides a potential pathway for attackers to gain unauthorized system access and execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. This vulnerability affects devices running Arm-based graphics processors including smartphones, tablets, embedded systems, and other mobile devices that utilize these GPU architectures. The local nature of the exploit means that an attacker must already have user-level access to the system, but the privilege escalation potential makes this a significant concern for device security. The vulnerability's presence in multiple driver versions across different GPU architectures indicates a widespread issue that affects various generations of Arm's graphics processing technology, potentially impacting millions of devices worldwide. Organizations using Arm-based systems should be particularly concerned about the potential for this vulnerability to be leveraged in supply chain attacks or targeted campaigns against specific device types.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2023-6241 should focus on immediate driver updates and system patching to address the underlying race condition in the kernel drivers. System administrators should prioritize updating to the latest available versions of the affected GPU drivers, particularly those that include fixes for the memory management race conditions that enable this vulnerability. The implementation of kernel memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries, memory disclosure prevention, and kernel address space layout randomization can help reduce the exploitability of this vulnerability. Additionally, monitoring for unusual memory allocation patterns and implementing security policies that limit user-level access to graphics processing functions can provide additional layers of defense. Organizations should also consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms and behavioral analysis tools that can detect anomalous memory operations consistent with use-after-free exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification under ATT&CK technique T1068 (Exploitation for Privilege Escalation) indicates that defensive measures should include monitoring for privilege escalation activities and implementing least privilege principles for graphics processing functions. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for the presence of affected driver versions to ensure comprehensive protection against this and similar memory corruption vulnerabilities.