NewsCompaniesFlawsGuides
Get the app

CVE-2023-26083

From Exploited flaws, HARD’s guide to the flaws being used in attacks · Checked
This article is about a flaw in Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). For every flaw being used in attacks, see Exploited flaws; for Arm’s, see Arm flaws being used in attacks.

CVE-2023-26083 is a security flaw in Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), the graphics chip design in many Android phones. Attackers can read information from Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) that should be private. The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) added it to its catalog of flaws known to be used in attacks on 7 Apr 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 information disclosure in Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU). In its words: “Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver contains an information disclosure vulnerability that allows a non-privileged user to make valid GPU processing operations that expose sensitive kernel metadata.”[1]

The CVE record adds: “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.”[2]

The underlying weakness is CWE-401, in MITRE’s list of common software weaknesses.

It scores 3.3 out of 10 on the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, which rates it low, 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 7 Apr 2023, within a day of it being made public. CISA lists a flaw only when it has reliable evidence of it being exploited, and gave US federal agencies until 28 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 1%. That’s in the top 32% 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]

  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.
  2. 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

DateEvent
The flaw is made public in the National Vulnerability Database, with a severity score of 3.3.[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 1%.[4]

See also

Other Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) flaws

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 ·

Added the same day

  • CVE-2021-27878, Veritas Backup Exec Agent: command execution ·
  • CVE-2021-27877, Veritas Backup Exec Agent: improper authentication ·
  • CVE-2021-27876, Veritas Backup Exec Agent: file access ·
  • CVE-2019-1388, Microsoft Windows: certificate dialog privilege escalation ·

Every Arm flaw on CISA’s list · Everything added in April 2023

References

  1. ^ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. “Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Information Disclosure Vulnerability”. Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog, added 7 Apr 2023.
  2. ^ National Institute of Standards and Technology. “CVE-2023-26083 Detail”. National Vulnerability Database, published 6 Apr 2023.
  3. ^ Arm. Advisories and fixes: developer.arm.com.
  4. ^ FIRST. “Exploit Prediction Scoring System”. EPSS 0.012, percentile 68.6, 31 Oct 2026.
  5. CVE Program. “CVE-2023-26083”. 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.