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CVE-2023-32804NVD status: Modified

Midgard GPU Userspace Driver: Out-of-bounds Write

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2023-32804 is a high-severity out-of-bounds write vulnerability in Midgard GPU Userspace Driver from Arm, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with a low-privileged account, without any action from a user. Affected Midgard GPU Userspace Driver versions: r0p0 through r32p0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.25% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.

Next patch cycle

High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.

What to do

  1. Check which version of Midgard GPU Userspace Driver you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
  2. Read the advisory on developer.arm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
ArmMidgard GPU Userspace Driverr0p0 through r32p0Not stated
ArmBifrost GPU Userspace Driverr0p0 through r44p0Not stated
ArmValhall GPU Userspace Driverr19p0 through r44p0Not stated
ArmArm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Userspace Driverr41p0 through r44p0Not stated
Arm5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driverr41p0 through r44p0Not stated
ArmBifrost GPU Kernel Driverr0p0 through r44p0Not stated
ArmMidgard GPU Kernel Driverr0p0 through r32p0Not stated
ArmValhall GPU Kernel Driverr19p0 through r44p0Not stated

Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.

How the severity score breaks down

Attack vector
LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
Attack complexity
LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
Privileges required
LowA basic user account is enough.
User interaction
NoneNo action by a victim is required.
Scope
UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality
HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
Integrity
HighData or code can be modified at will.
Availability
HighThe component can be taken down completely.

Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.

Official description

Out-of-bounds Write vulnerability in Arm Ltd Midgard GPU Userspace Driver, Arm Ltd Bifrost GPU Userspace Driver, Arm Ltd Valhall GPU Userspace Driver, Arm Ltd Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Userspace Driver allows a local non-privileged user to write a constant pattern to a limited amount of memory not allocated by the user space driver.This issue affects Midgard GPU Userspace Driver: from r0p0 through r32p0; Bifrost GPU Userspace Driver: from r0p0 through r44p0; Valhall GPU Userspace Driver: from r19p0 through r44p0; Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Userspace Driver: from r41p0 through r44p0.

Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.

The underlying weakness: Out-of-bounds Write

The product writes data past the end, or before the beginning, of the intended buffer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Use a language that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, many languages that perform their own memory management, such as Java and Perl, are not subject to buffer overflows. Other languages, such as Ada and C#, typically provide overflow protection, but the protection can be disabled by the programmer. Be wary that a language's interface to native code may still be subject to overflows, even if the language itself is theoretically safe.
  • Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. Examples include the Safe C String Library (SafeStr) by Messier and Viega, and the Strsafe.h library from Microsoft. These libraries provide safer versions of overflow-prone string-handling functions.
  • Use automatic buffer overflow detection mechanisms that are offered by certain compilers or compiler extensions. Examples include: the Microsoft Visual Studio /GS flag, Fedora/Red Hat FORTIFY_SOURCE GCC flag, StackGuard, and ProPolice, which provide various mechanisms including canary-based detection and range/index checking. D3-SFCV (Stack Frame Canary Validation) from D3FEND discusses canary-based detection in detail.

More Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities (CWE-787)

Timeline

  1. CVE record published.
  2. CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
  3. Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).

References

Recent Out-of-bounds Write vulnerabilities

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