CyberSecBulletin
CVE-2025-0819NVD status: Analyzed

Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver: Use After Free

Published Updated By the CyberSecBulletin desk

CVE-2025-0819 is a high-severity use after free vulnerability in Bifrost GPU Kernel 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 Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver versions: r44p0 through r49p3; r50p0 through r51p0. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.16% 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. Update 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver to r49p4 or r54p1, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
  2. Read the advisory on developer.arm.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.

Affected products and versions

VendorProductAffected versionsFixed in
ArmBifrost GPU Kernel Driverr44p0 through r49p3; r50p0 through r51p0Not stated
ArmValhall GPU Kernel Driverr44p0 through r49p3; r50p0 through r54p0Not stated
ArmArm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driverr44p0 through r49p3; r50p0 through r54p0Not stated
Arm5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driverr44p0 up to, but not including, r49p4; r50p0 up to, but not including, r54p1r49p4, r54p1

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 CISA (ADP).

Official description

Use After Free vulnerability in 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 process to perform valid GPU memory processing operations to gain access to already freed memory.This issue affects Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver: from r44p0 through r49p3, from r50p0 through r51p0; Valhall GPU Kernel Driver: from r44p0 through r49p3, from r50p0 through r54p0; Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture Kernel Driver: from r44p0 through r49p3, from r50p0 through r54p0.

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

The underlying weakness: Use After Free

The product reuses or references memory after it has been freed. At some point afterward, the memory may be allocated again and saved in another pointer, while the original pointer references a location somewhere within the new allocation. Any operations using the original pointer are no longer valid because the memory belongs to the code that operates on the new pointer.

How developers prevent this class of flaw

  • Choose a language that provides automatic memory management.
  • When freeing pointers, be sure to set them to NULL once they are freed. However, the utilization of multiple or complex data structures may lower the usefulness of this strategy.

More Use After Free vulnerabilities (CWE-416)

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

Other vulnerabilities in Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver

All Bifrost GPU Kernel Driver vulnerabilities

Recent Use After Free vulnerabilities

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