CVE-2024-4610: Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free Vulnerability

CVE-2024-4610 is a use-after-free vulnerability in the Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver, specifically affecting Bifrost and Valhall GPU kernel drivers. A local, non-privileged user can trigger improper GPU memory processing operations that grant access to memory that has already been freed. This matters to IT and security teams because the flaw sits in kernel-level GPU handling common on many Arm-based systems; successful abuse can undermine isolation between user processes and privileged memory, potentially enabling further compromise on devices that rely on these drivers.

Defenders should treat this as a local privilege or memory-access risk rather than a remote network entry point. Confirm exact impact and fixed releases against the vendor advisory, as public detail beyond the CWE-416 classification and the CISA summary is limited.

How it works

The underlying weakness is CWE-416 (Use-After-Free). In normal operation the GPU kernel driver allocates and frees memory buffers for graphics and compute work. When the free operation and subsequent reuse are not correctly synchronized, a window opens in which a pointer still references memory that the kernel has already released.

An attacker who already has a local, non-privileged foothold can issue carefully crafted GPU memory processing operations that cause the driver to free a buffer while retaining a live reference to it. Subsequent operations then read from or write to that freed memory. Because the memory may later be reallocated for another purpose, the attacker can influence or observe data that should be inaccessible. No remote network vector is described; exploitation requires local code execution under a low-privilege account. Exact trigger sequences and memory layouts are not provided here and must be taken from the vendor advisory.

Am I affected? How to find it in your systems

Arm Mali GPU Kernel Drivers (Bifrost and Valhall variants) appear primarily on Android devices, certain embedded Linux platforms, and other systems that use Arm GPUs for rendering or compute. Inventory steps include:

• Enumerate kernel modules and GPU drivers on Linux hosts (for example, looking for mali-related modules or device nodes under /dev).
• On Android fleets, query device model, SoC, and kernel version via MDM or ADB, then map those to known Mali Bifrost or Valhall implementations.
• Check vendor or OEM firmware release notes for any mention of Mali GPU driver updates tied to this CVE.
• Review configuration management databases for systems that list Arm Mali graphics components.

Specific vulnerable version ranges are not supplied in the available facts; always confirm against the official Arm or device-vendor advisory. Telemetry signs of attempted exploitation are generic for use-after-free conditions: unexpected GPU driver crashes, kernel oops messages referencing mali or GPU memory management, or anomalous process behavior that coincides with heavy GPU activity. Correlate such events with local user activity logs.

How to remediate

The primary action is to apply the mitigations or driver updates published by Arm or by the device OEM, exactly as directed in the vendor advisory. CISA’s required action is to apply those mitigations or to discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

• Obtain the patched Mali GPU kernel driver package from the official source and deploy it through your normal firmware or kernel update pipeline.
• After installation, verify that the new driver version is loaded and that the previously vulnerable code paths are no longer present.
• For managed fleets, enforce the update via MDM, configuration management, or image rebuilds so that residual vulnerable devices cannot remain online.
• As a longer-term hardening measure for this class of flaw, keep GPU drivers and the surrounding kernel at supported release levels, enable kernel address-space layout randomization and other memory-safety features where available, and restrict untrusted local code execution.

If you can't patch immediately

Until the vendor update can be applied, reduce the attack surface with compensating controls that limit local non-privileged access to the GPU subsystem:

• Segment devices that contain the vulnerable driver onto restricted network segments and limit interactive logins to trusted administrators only.
• Where the platform allows, disable or unload the Mali GPU kernel module if graphics acceleration is not required for the device’s function.
• Apply strict process isolation and SELinux/AppArmor policies that prevent untrusted applications from issuing arbitrary GPU ioctls.
• Increase monitoring for kernel crashes, GPU-related oops messages, and unusual memory-allocation patterns; forward these events to a central SIEM for rapid triage.
• Virtual patching or WAF rules have limited value against a local kernel flaw; focus instead on host-based controls and least-privilege enforcement.

Document the residual risk and schedule the permanent patch as soon as operational constraints allow. If no mitigation is ever released, plan to retire or replace the affected hardware.

If your data may have been exposed

Use-after-free vulnerabilities that grant access to freed kernel memory can be chained into broader compromise, including data theft or persistence. Known ransomware use of this specific CVE is not documented. If you suspect the vulnerability was exploited on any system, treat the host as potentially breached: isolate it, preserve forensic images, and examine accounts and data stores that the local user could have reached. As a quick external check, you can run a free exposure scan of your email addresses against known breach data sets to determine whether credentials or personal information have already appeared in public dumps.