ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver Memory Leak and Information Disclosure Vulnerability (CVE-2023-26083) Technical Advisory
Executive & SecOps Summary
SECOPS ASSESSMENTARM Mali GPU Kernel Drivers (Midgard r6p0-r32p0, Bifrost r0p0-r42p0, Valhall r19p0-r42p0, Avalon r41p0-r42p0)
A local non-privileged user can perform valid GPU processing operations to expose sensitive kernel metadata, facilitating KASLR bypass and local privilege escalation (LPE)
Apply official security patches from chipset vendors and OEMs, and immediately upgrade device firmware to the latest version
Affected Products & Version Scope
Remediation & Live Workaround Commands
PATCH & WORKAROUND1. Official Patch & Version Upgrade Commands
According to ARM's security advisory, users must upgrade the GPU driver to version r43p0 or later. Below is an example of updating the kernel source tree for Android/Linux build environments:
# Navigate to the ARM Mali kernel driver source directory
cd kernel/drivers/gpu/arm/midgard
# Fetch and checkout the patched driver version (r43p0 or later)
git fetch upstream
git checkout -b patch-v43.0 upstream/TX011-SW-99002-r43p0-00rel0
# Rebuild the kernel image
make ARCH=arm64 defconfig
make ARCH=arm64 -j$(nproc)2. Temporary Workaround & Hardening Configuration
If immediate patching is not feasible, restrict access to the Mali GPU device nodes to minimize the attack surface. Note that this may impact GPU acceleration for non-privileged applications.
# Restrict permissions on Mali GPU device nodes
sudo chmod 660 /dev/mali*
sudo chown root:video /dev/mali*
# Persist the permission changes across reboots using udev rules
echo 'KERNEL=="mali*", OWNER="root", GROUP="video", MODE="0660"' | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/99-mali-restrict.rules
sudo udevadm control --reload-rules && sudo udevadm trigger3. Log Audit & IoC Verification Commands
Use the following script to verify the active Mali GPU driver version and inspect kernel logs for potential exploitation indicators or memory allocation anomalies.
#!/bin/bash
echo '[+] Checking ARM Mali GPU Driver Version...'
if [ -f /sys/module/mali/version ]; then
cat /sys/module/mali/version
elif [ -f /sys/module/mali_kbase/version ]; then
cat /sys/module/mali_kbase/version
else
modinfo mali 2>/dev/null | grep -E 'version|description' || echo 'Mali module not loaded or version file not found.'
fi
echo '[+] Auditing dmesg for potential exploitation indicators...'
sudo dmesg | grep -Ei 'mali|gpu|page allocation failure|out of memory|kbase'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-2023-26083) is a memory leak issue (CWE-401) residing in the ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver. The root cause lies in improper memory management and resource deallocation during memory mapping operations between user space and kernel space. This flaw allows sensitive kernel metadata to remain in memory or be exposed to memory regions accessible by non-privileged processes.
2. Exploitation Mechanics & Attack Scenario
A local attacker with non-privileged access can craft specific GPU system calls (ioctls) or memory mapping requests. The driver processes these requests as legitimate GPU operations but fails to properly isolate or clear kernel memory structures. Consequently, sensitive kernel metadata, such as physical memory addresses or kernel pointers, is leaked to user space. Attackers can leverage this leaked information to bypass Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) and chain it with other kernel vulnerabilities to achieve full root privileges.
3. Infrastructure & Business Impact
Since this vulnerability is listed in the CISA KEV (Known Exploited Vulnerabilities) catalog, it has been actively exploited in the wild, often chained with other exploits in targeted spyware campaigns. Millions of Android smartphones, tablets, and embedded IoT devices powered by ARM Mali GPUs are potentially vulnerable. Successful exploitation allows local attackers or malicious applications to compromise the entire operating system, posing a severe threat to enterprise data and user privacy.
Official Vendor Advisories & References
Memory leak vulnerability in Mali GPU Kernel Driver in Midgard GPU Kernel Driver all versions from r6p0 - r32p0, Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver all versions from r0p0 - r42p0, Valhall GPU Kernel Driver all versions from r19p0 - r42p0, and Avalon GPU Kernel Driver all versions from r41p0 - r42p0 allows a non-privileged user to make valid GPU processing operations that expose sensitive kernel metadata.
Frequently Asked SecOps Questions (CVE-2023-26083)
FAQQ1. How critical is CVE-2023-26083 and is it actively exploited in the wild?
CVE-2023-26083 is rated CVSS 3.3 (LOW) with a 30-day EPSS exploitation probability of 1.2%. It is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, requiring immediate emergency remediation.
Q2. Which vendors and products are affected by CVE-2023-26083?
Primary impacted vendors include arm across mali gpu driver. Scope summary: ARM Mali GPU Kernel Driver Families: - Midgard GPU Kernel Driver: All versions from r6p0 to r32p0 - Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver: All versions from r0p0 to r42p0 - Valhall GPU Kernel Driver: All versions from r19p0 to r42p0 - Avalon GPU Kernel Driver: All versions from r41p0 to r42p0
Q3. What temporary mitigations or workarounds exist for CVE-2023-26083 before patching?
[Mitigation] Apply official security patches from chipset vendors and OEMs, and immediately upgrade device firmware to the latest version Follow the CLI remediation commands and interactive SecOps checklist on this page to restrict exposure prior to your maintenance window.
Generate an Internal Engineering Notice or CISO Report for CVE-2023-26083
Instantly format this advisory into an executive CISO summary or engineering patch ticket.
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