CVE-2021-0945

Local privilege escalation via unchecked PMR creation

Published Jun 15, 2023 · Updated Dec 18, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in the PowerVR GPU kernel driver for Android SoC allows local users to gain elevated privileges through heap corruption. _PMRCreate omits a bounds check, allowing PhysmemNewRamBackedPMR to overwrite kernel heap memory during PMR creation. Exploitation requires local access but needs no additional execution privileges or user interaction, and success grants higher device privileges.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in the PowerVR GPU kernel driver for Android SoC allows local users to gain elevated privileges through heap corruption. _PMRCreate omits a bounds check, allowing PhysmemNewRamBackedPMR to overwrite kernel heap memory during PMR creation. Exploitation requires local access but needs no additional execution privileges or user interaction, and success grants higher device privileges.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-0945
Published
Jun 15, 2023
Updated
Dec 18, 2024
Vendor
Imagination Technologies
Product
PowerVR GPU
Classifications
CWE-787, T1628
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 15, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Dec 18, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Android SoC

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Imagination Technologies · PowerVR GPUversion=Android SoC

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1628Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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