Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessGain local user-level code execution on target device
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DeliverySubmit crafted GPU ioctl sequence to kernel driver
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ExploitTrigger use-after-free on GPU memory object
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ExecutionRead freed memory before reallocation
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ImpactExtract kernel address-space contents
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
ASVS 5.0
V15 - Secure Coding and Architecture Memory lifecycle management
MITRE ATT&CK
2 techniques across 2 tactics: Execution, Privilege Escalation The technique list with ATT&CK links and the kill-chain view is part of the Basic plan and up. |
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires local code execution on the target device with at minimum standard Android user-level privileges (PR:L per vendor CVSS). The device must be equipped with a MediaTek MT6991 or MT8799 chipset running firmware predating patch ALPS11122991. The description states 'User interaction is needed for exploitation,' though the specific interaction (e.g., opening a file, viewing content that triggers a GPU render path) is not described - this conflicts with the vendor CVSS UI:N and should be treated with caution. Remote or network-based exploitation is not applicable (AV:L). The attack is not automatable per SSVC (Automatable: no), indicating it cannot be reliably scripted for mass targeting without device-specific conditions. |
| Impact | The vendor-assigned CVSS 5.5 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) correctly constrains the attack surface to local access with user-level privileges, significantly limiting the population of viable attackers. However, a notable inconsistency exists: the textual description explicitly states 'User interaction is needed for exploitation,' directly contradicting the vendor CVSS UI:N metric - this should be verified with MediaTek, as UI:R would further reduce exploitability and the CVSS base score. A second inconsistency: the description mentions 'system crash' and the Tags include 'Denial Of Service,' yet the vendor CVSS scores A:N - this may indicate the crash is an incidental rather than guaranteed outcome, or that the vendor chose to score only the primary exploitation path. SSVC reports exploitation as 'none' and automatable as 'no,' both consistent with a local-only attack requiring specific GPU interaction. No EPSS data was provided. The absence of KEV listing and any public exploit code further reduces urgency. Real-world risk is best characterized as low-to-moderate: the C:H rating is meaningful for kernel memory exposure, but the local-only vector and apparent user-interaction requirement substantially constrain exploitability. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A malicious Android app with no elevated permissions on a device equipped with MediaTek MT6991 or MT8799 submits a crafted sequence of GPU driver ioctl calls that triggers the use-after-free condition, causing the driver to dereference a freed memory object. The app then reads the stale memory region - potentially containing kernel pointers, session tokens, or cryptographic material - before the allocator overwrites it. In an alternate path, the dereference triggers a kernel panic, rebooting the device. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Sep 07, 2026
Use-after-free in the MediaTek GPU kernel driver on chipsets MT6991 and MT8799 allows a local attacker with standard user privileges to read freed kernel or GPU memory, potentially exposing sensitive data such as pointers, credentials, or cryptographic material. The same condition may cause a full system crash, consistent with the Denial of Service tag and the 'system crash' language in the description. No public exploit has been identified and SSVC rates exploitation status as none, placing this in a lower real-world priority bracket despite the C:H rating.
RemediationAI
Apply vendor-released patch ALPS11122991 (Issue MSV-8132), distributed through OEM/carrier firmware updates that incorporate the MediaTek September 2026 Security Bulletin (https://www.mediatek.com/product-security-bulletin/September-2026). Android device owners should monitor for and install system updates from their device manufacturer as soon as available. No user-space workaround can block kernel driver exploitation; the only definitive fix is the kernel patch. As a marginal precaution prior to patch availability, limiting installation of untrusted third-party applications reduces exposure, since exploitation requires local code execution. Disabling developer options and sideloading reduces the attack surface but does not eliminate it for apps distributed through standard channels.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affects your stack
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Technical ContextAI · show details
CWE-416 (Use After Free) describes a memory safety defect where a freed heap or kernel object is dereferenced before the allocator reclaims it. In a GPU driver context, user-space processes submit GPU commands and memory objects through kernel driver ioctls; if the driver frees a GPU memory object while a reference is still live, a subsequent access can read stale memory contents or corrupt adjacent allocations. The affected chipsets - MT6991 (a flagship-class MediaTek SoC) and MT8799 - are identified via EUVD-2026-72208 as the specific hardware in scope. The GPU component operates in kernel space, so a successful UAF read can expose kernel address-space contents not otherwise accessible to user-space. Patch ID ALPS11122991 (Issue MSV-8132) identifies the internal fix tracked by MediaTek.
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Severity by source
AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Description explicitly states user interaction is needed (UI:R, overriding vendor UI:N); 'system crash' outcome supports A:H rather than vendor A:N.
Primary rating from Vendor (MediaTek).
CVSS VectorVendor: MediaTek
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
In gpu, there is a possible system crash due to use after free. This could lead to local information disclosure with User execution privileges needed. User interaction is needed for exploitation. Patch ID: ALPS11122991; Issue ID: MSV-8132.
Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Use-after-free vulnerabilities occur when a program continues to access memory through a pointer after that memory has been deallocated.
Memory corruption occurs when a program writes data beyond the boundaries of allocated memory regions or accesses memory in unintended ways, violating the integrity of the process's address space.
Information disclosure occurs when an application unintentionally exposes sensitive data that aids attackers in reconnaissance or directly compromises security.
Denial of Service attacks render applications or systems unavailable by overwhelming resources or triggering failure conditions.
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EUVD-2026-72208
GHSA-6phf-ph66-88jx
NVD
CVE.org
EPSS
Vulnrichment
VulDB
Exploit-DB