Kernel code execution via GPU buffer overwrite
Published Aug 24, 2021 · Updated Oct 21, 2025
Out-of-bounds write in Apple iOS and iPadOS GPU drivers allows local users to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The GPU driver writes beyond a buffer boundary because affected releases lack the bounds check Apple added to stop the invalid write. Exploitation requires a malicious application to run on a supported device; successful use compromises the kernel, and CISA reports active exploitation.
Summary
What happened
Out-of-bounds write in Apple iOS and iPadOS GPU drivers allows local users to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges. The GPU driver writes beyond a buffer boundary because affected releases lack the bounds check Apple added to stop the invalid write. Exploitation requires a malicious application to run on a supported device; successful use compromises the kernel, and CISA reports active exploitation.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2021-30900
- Published
- Aug 24, 2021
- Updated
- Oct 21, 2025
- Vendor
- Apple
- Product
- iOS and iPadOS
- Classifications
- CWE-20, CWE-787, T1404
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Aug 24, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Oct 21, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.
Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <14.8
- Affected versionversion=unspecified <15.1
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog listingknown exploited catalog
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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