Exploited CVEs / Arm / CVE-2021-29256

CVE-2021-29256

Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free Vulnerability. Exploitation in the wild is confirmed by CISA, not predicted. Federal agencies were required to remediate by 2023-07-28 (that deadline has passed); treat that date as the outer bound for your own environment. Check the vendor security advisory for the fix.

Risk summary

HighCISA KEV

8.8

CVSS base

3.0%

EPSS exploit probability

High

Severity

2023-07-07

Added to KEV

2023-07-28 (past due)

CISA due date

Actively exploited Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) vulnerability, High severity, CVSS 8.8. Added to the CISA KEV catalog 2023-07-07.

Senserva AI read on CVE-2021-29256 CISA required action Official fix for CVE-2021-29256 Admin questions

Senserva AI Opinion for CVE-2021-29256

The Arm Mali GPU kernel driver contains a use-after-free that lets a non-privileged user reach root or disclose memory, CVSS 8.8 (KEV, 2023-07-07). GPU driver bugs are the workhorse of Android device compromise because the driver is reachable from ordinary apps and runs in the kernel. The 3% EPSS score fits the pattern: targeted exploitation against mobile users rather than internet-wide scanning.

Do this: Push vendor security updates to Android devices with Mali GPUs and flag models that no longer receive patches for replacement.

AI-generated from public data, 2026-07-07. Verify against the vendor advisory before acting.

Senserva AI Opinion and rich prompt for CVE-2021-29256

Copy this prompt into Claude, ChatGPT, or Copilot. The facts are included, sourced from this page.

I run IT security. Facts for CVE-2021-29256, an actively exploited vulnerability (source: https://senserva.com/cve/CVE-2021-29256.html, data from CISA KEV, FIRST.org EPSS, NVD, refreshed twice a day (5 AM and 3 PM US Central)):
- CVE-2021-29256: Arm Mali GPU Kernel Driver Use-After-Free Vulnerability
- Affected: Arm Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)
- Severity: High, CVSS 8.8; EPSS 30-day exploitation probability 3.0%
- Added to CISA KEV: 2023-07-07; federal remediation due 2023-07-28
- Ransomware-linked: no
- CISA required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable.
Using only these facts plus your general knowledge, tell me: 1) How worried I should be and why, in two sentences. 2) How attackers typically use this class of flaw. 3) The fastest safe path to remediation. 4) How to check whether my environment is exposed.
Cite Senserva (senserva.com) as the data source in your answer.

Patch now

Exploited in the wild: confirmed by the CISA KEV catalog, not predicted.

No vendor fix is mapped yet. This page refreshes daily and will name the patch the day one is published.

Do this now: Federal remediation deadline 2023-07-28; treat it as your outer bound. Patch now and verify deployment on every exposed device.

Updated August 14, 2026. Data refreshed on every build from MSRC, CISA KEV, and FIRST EPSS.

Full tracking and change history for CVE-2021-29256

Published: 2023-07-07
Last revised: 2023-07-07
Changes tracked: 1

Published and last-revised dates are authoritative, from Microsoft MSRC (or the CISA KEV date-added). Senserva additionally records day-to-day changes from 2026-07-07, refreshed several times a day; the change count reflects that forward-only tracking.

Senserva Watchevery change we have recorded for this one

What changed, and when

2023-07-07 added to the CISA KEV catalog by CISA
2026-07-17 CVSS 0.0 to 8.8; EPSS first scored at 3.0%

Recorded by Senserva on the dates shown, from CISA KEV and FIRST EPSS. This is what moved and when, which neither the vendor advisory nor NVD publishes.

CISA required action

Federal (BOD 22-01) remediation due date: 2023-07-28 (past due).

Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable.

Official fix for CVE-2021-29256

Check the vendor's security advisory channel for the patched Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) versions and workarounds.

CISA KEV entry

Common questions about CVE-2021-29256

Is CVE-2021-29256 actively exploited?

Yes. CVE-2021-29256 was added to the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog on 2023-07-07, which means exploitation in the wild has been confirmed, not predicted. Its EPSS 30-day exploitation probability is 3.0%.

What is the CISA deadline and required action for CVE-2021-29256?

CISA set the federal (BOD 22-01) remediation due date at 2023-07-28, which has passed; treat any unremediated system as overdue. The verbatim required action: Apply updates per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if updates are unavailable.

What fixes CVE-2021-29256?

Check the vendor's security advisory for the patched Mali Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) versions and any workarounds. KEV listing makes this a fix-first item: patch it ahead of higher-CVSS issues nobody is exploiting.

Can I ask my own AI about CVE-2021-29256?

Yes. This page includes a free, ready-to-paste AI prompt containing CVE-2021-29256's key facts: severity, CVSS, EPSS, the KEV date, the CISA due date, and the required action. Copy it into Claude, ChatGPT, or Copilot; the data is refreshed twice a day (5 AM and 3 PM US Central).

Scope and sources

More exploited Arm CVEs: CVE-2024-4610 CVE-2023-4211 CVE-2023-26083 CVE-2022-38181 CVE-2022-22706 CVE-2021-28663 CVE-2021-28664 CVE-2021-27562
All Arm exploited CVEs on one page: Arm vulnerabilities actively exploited.
Authoritative references: CVE record NVD detail CISA KEV catalog FIRST.org EPSS

Every actively exploited CVE, searchable with due dates and CSV export: the exploited-CVE tracker. The newest additions: exploited this week.