CVE-2022-38181
CVE-2022-38181 is a security flaw in Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), the graphics chip design in many Android phones. Someone who already has a foothold can use Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to take full control of the machine. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 30 Mar 2023.[1]
Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) is in things households have, such as phones, computers, browsers and everyday apps, so the fix matters at home as much as at work. Arm has published a fix or advice.
Description
CISA calls it a mali GPU kernel driver use-after-free in Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). In its words: “Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver contains a use-after-free vulnerability that may allow a non-privileged user to gain root privilege and/or disclose information.”[1]
The CVE record adds: “The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver allows unprivileged users to access freed memory because GPU memory operations are mishandled. This affects Bifrost r0p0 through r38p1, and r39p0; Valhall r19p0 through r38p1, and r39p0; and Midgard r4p0 through r32p0.”[2]
The underlying weakness is use after free (CWE-416), in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.
It scores 8.8 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it high, scored by NVD using CVSS 3.1.[2]
Affected versions
NVD’s record doesn’t list version ranges for it; Arm’s advisory has them[3]. CISA names the product as Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU).
Every device with Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) needs the update.
Exploitation
CISA added it to its catalog of known exploited vulnerabilities on 30 Mar 2023, 156 days after it was made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 20 Apr 2023 to fix it.[1]
FIRST’s Exploit Prediction Scoring System, which estimates how likely a flaw is to be used in attacks in the next 30 days from what it sees across the internet, puts it at 18%. That’s in the top 3% of the flaws it scores.[4]
CISA assesses it as not automatable: each attack takes some work.
CISA doesn’t say who was attacked, or how.
Fix
Arm has published a fix or advice.[3] CISA’s required action: “Apply updates per vendor instructions.”[1]
- Update Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) now.Install the latest update from Arm on every device that has it, and restart when asked. Then turn on automatic updates, so the next fix arrives on its own.
- If there’s no update, stop using it.CISA’s advice when a flaw being used in attacks has no fix is to stop using the product until it does.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 8.8.[2] | |
| CISA adds it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks.[1] | |
| CISA’s deadline for US government agencies to fix it.[1] | |
| FIRST puts the odds of it being used in attacks in the next 30 days at 18%.[4] |
See also
Other Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) flaws
- CVE-2021-29256: mali GPU kernel driver use-after-free ·
- CVE-2023-26083: mali GPU kernel driver information disclosure ·
- CVE-2022-22706: mali GPU kernel driver unspecified ·
- CVE-2021-28664: unspecified ·
- CVE-2021-28663: use-after-free ·
Other Arm flaws
- CVE-2024-4610, Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2023-4211, Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2021-27562, Arm Trusted Firmware: out-of-bounds write ·
Other use after free flaws
- CVE-2026-109619, PHP: stale internal request-state ·
- CVE-2026-109618, PHP: memory corruption ·
- CVE-2026-68820, Microsoft Windows Ancillary Function Driver for WinSock: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2010-0249, Microsoft Internet Explorer: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2020-9715, Adobe Acrobat: use-after-free ·
Added the same day
- CVE-2023-0266, Linux Kernel: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2022-42948, Fortra Cobalt Strike: user interface remote code execution ·
- CVE-2022-39197, Fortra Cobalt Strike: teamserver cross-site scripting (XSS) ·
- CVE-2022-3038, Chrome and other Chromium browsers: use-after-free ·
- CVE-2022-22706, Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU): mali GPU kernel driver unspecified ·
Every Arm flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in March 2023
References
- ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 30 Mar 2023.
- ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2022-38181 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 25 Oct 2022.
- ^ Arm. Advisories and fixes: developer.arm.com, developer.arm.com.
- ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.185, percentile 97.2, 31 Oct 2026.
- CVE Program. “CVE-2022-38181”. The official CVE record.
This article is built from CISA’s catalog (version 2026.10.30), NVD’s record and FIRST’s scores, kept in HARD’s database and checked every morning. The plain English is HARD’s.