CVE-2022-20122

Kernel memory corruption via freed pinned pages

Published Aug 24, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in the PowerVR GPU driver for Android SoC allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through crafted GPU calls. The unpin path leaves a pinned-memory resource usable after its pages enter the kernel shrinker's free list, so later GPU operations can reference reclaimed pages. An unprivileged app can reach the driver without additional privileges, and the consequence is limited to devices integrating the affected PowerVR driver.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability0.40%
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 the PowerVR GPU driver for Android SoC allows local users to corrupt kernel memory through crafted GPU calls. The unpin path leaves a pinned-memory resource usable after its pages enter the kernel shrinker's free list, so later GPU operations can reference reclaimed pages. An unprivileged app can reach the driver without additional privileges, and the consequence is limited to devices integrating the affected PowerVR driver.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-20122
Published
Aug 24, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Imagination Technologies
Product
PowerVR GPU
Classifications
CWE-416
Attack vector
local
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 24, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 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 privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

Imagination Technologies · PowerVR GPUversion=Android SoC

Published CVSS scores

9.8NVDCVSS: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

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

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Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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