CVE-2021-39661

Local privilege escalation via unchecked offset conversion

Published Nov 8, 2022 · Updated May 1, 2025

An out-of-bounds write in the PowerVR kernel driver on Android SoC allows local users to escalate privileges without user interaction. _PMRLogicalOffsetToPhysicalOffset omits a bounds check before writing during logical-to-physical offset conversion. Low-privileged local access is required, and successful exploitation grants elevated privileges within the affected device.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.10%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

An out-of-bounds write in the PowerVR kernel driver on Android SoC allows local users to escalate privileges without user interaction. _PMRLogicalOffsetToPhysicalOffset omits a bounds check before writing during logical-to-physical offset conversion. Low-privileged local access is required, and successful exploitation grants elevated privileges within the affected device.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-39661
Published
Nov 8, 2022
Updated
May 1, 2025
Vendor
Imagination Technologies
Product
PowerVR GPU
Classifications
CWE-787, T1404
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Nov 8, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. May 1, 2025Record 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 privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Imagination Technologies · PowerVR GPUversion=Android SoC

Published CVSS scores

7.8CISA-ADPCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1404Exploitation 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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