CVE-2021-47446

Local privilege escalation via A4xx GPU use-after-free

Published May 22, 2024 · Updated Aug 5, 2026

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.11 through 5.14.13 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through the MSM A4xx DRM device. The a4xx_gpu_init function stores the Boolean result of IS_ERR instead of the negative PTR_ERR value, frees the GPU object on failure, and then falsely reports successful initialization. An unprivileged user or Android app must be able to open the MSM DRM render node on an A4xx platform; later load or interrupt handling dereferences the dangling object, enabling kernel memory access, control-flow hijacking, or a kernel panic.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in Linux kernel 5.11 through 5.14.13 allows local users to gain kernel privileges through the MSM A4xx DRM device. The a4xx_gpu_init function stores the Boolean result of IS_ERR instead of the negative PTR_ERR value, frees the GPU object on failure, and then falsely reports successful initialization. An unprivileged user or Android app must be able to open the MSM DRM render node on an A4xx platform; later load or interrupt handling dereferences the dangling object, enabling kernel memory access, control-flow hijacking, or a kernel panic.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-47446
Published
May 22, 2024
Updated
Aug 5, 2026
Vendor
The Linux Kernel Organization
Product
Linux
Classifications
CWE-908, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 22, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2026Record 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=5.11
  2. Affected versionversion=5785dd7a8ef0de8049f40a1a109de6a1bf17b479 <3962d626eb3e3b23ebb2e2a61537fa764acbfe11
  3. Affected versionversion=5785dd7a8ef0de8049f40a1a109de6a1bf17b479 <980d74e7d03ccf2eaa11d133416946bd880c7c08

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

The Linux Kernel Organization · Linuxversion=5.11; version=5785dd7a8ef0de8049f40a1a109de6a1bf17b479 <3962d626eb3e3b23ebb2e2a61537fa764acbfe11; version=5785dd7a8ef0de8049f40a1a109de6a1bf17b479 <980d74e7d03ccf2eaa11d133416946bd880c7c08

Published CVSS scores

7.8LinuxCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
5.5NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-908Use of Uninitialized Resource
T1068Exploitation 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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