ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver Memory Corruption Vulnerability (CVE-2022-22706) Technical Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTDevices equipped with ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver Midgard (r26p0 to r31p0), Bifrost (r0p0 to r35p0), and Valhall (r19p0 to r35p0) architectures
A local non-privileged user can gain write access to read-only memory pages, leading to local privilege escalation (LPE) and arbitrary code execution
Apply the official security patches and upgrade to the latest driver versions (Bifrost/Valhall r36p0+, Midgard r32p0+) provided by ARM and device OEMs
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
To mitigate this vulnerability, update the Mali GPU driver source code to version r36p0 (or r32p0 for Midgard) or later. For Android/Linux kernel build environments, synchronize and verify the driver source as follows:
# Clone the Android common kernel repository
git clone https://android.googlesource.com/kernel/common -b android-mainline
cd common/drivers/gpu/arm/mali
# Verify if the patch for CVE-2022-22706 is integrated in the commit history
git log --grep='CVE-2022-22706' --oneline2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate kernel patching is not feasible, restrict access to the Mali GPU device node to minimize the attack surface.
# Restrict permissions on the Mali GPU device node to prevent unauthorized access
chmod 660 /dev/mali0
chown root:video /dev/mali0
# Audit and restrict SELinux policies for untrusted applications accessing the GPU device
# Ensure that untrusted_app domains do not have unrestricted ioctl permissions on gpu_device3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following commands to check the active Mali driver version and monitor the kernel log for potential exploitation attempts.
# Check the currently loaded Mali GPU driver version
cat /sys/module/mali/version 2>/dev/null || cat /sys/module/mali_kbase/version
# Monitor kernel ring buffer for abnormal memory mapping or page fault errors
dmesg | grep -Ei 'mali|page fault|address translation|mmap'Block Kernel Privilege Escalation & Ransomware Payloads Before You Can Reboot
Protect unpatched Windows, Linux, and macOS workloads against in-memory exploitation and lateral movement with autonomous EDR.
Technical Root Cause & Exploitation Mechanics
1. Vulnerability Overview & Root Cause
This vulnerability (CVE-2022-22706) is a memory corruption issue (CWE-119) within the ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver. Due to improper validation and handling of memory mapping and page table attributes, the driver allows a non-privileged local user to obtain write access to memory pages that are designated as read-only.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
An attacker with local non-privileged access (such as through a malicious application running on an Android or embedded device) can invoke specific ioctl commands or memory mapping APIs exposed by the Mali GPU driver. By exploiting the flaw in the driver's memory management subsystem, the attacker can manipulate page table entries to map read-only physical memory pages as writable. This enables the modification of critical kernel structures or executable code, resulting in full kernel-level privilege escalation.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, indicating active exploitation in the wild. Successful exploitation compromises the entire operating system's security model, allowing attackers to bypass application sandboxes, exfiltrate sensitive user data, and establish persistent unauthorized access on affected mobile and IoT endpoints.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver allows a non-privileged user to achieve write access to read-only memory pages. This affects Midgard r26p0 through r31p0, Bifrost r0p0 through r35p0, and Valhall r19p0 through r35p0.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2022-22706)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2022-22706 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2022-22706 is rated CVSS 7.8 (HIGH) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 1.1%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2022-22706?
Primary impacted vendors include arm across mali-gpu-kernel-driver. Scope summary: ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver: Midgard r26p0 through r31p0, Bifrost r0p0 through r35p0, and Valhall r19p0 through r35p0
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2022-22706 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply the official security patches and upgrade to the latest driver versions (Bifrost/Valhall r36p0+, Midgard r32p0+) provided by ARM and device OEMs Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
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