CVE-2025-0819 is a high-severity Use After Free (UAF) vulnerability identified in multiple Arm Ltd GPU kernel drivers, specifically the Bifrost, Valhall, and Arm 5th Gen GPU Architecture kernel drivers. These drivers are responsible for managing GPU memory and processing operations on devices utilizing Arm's GPU architectures. The vulnerability arises when a local non-privileged user process performs legitimate GPU memory operations but gains access to memory regions that have already been freed. This UAF condition can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, corruption of memory, and potential execution of arbitrary code within the kernel context. The affected driver versions span from r44p0 through r49p3 and from r50p0 through r51p0 for Bifrost, and similarly for Valhall and Arm 5th Gen drivers up to r54p0. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges and no user interaction, but the impact is severe, affecting confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high severity due to the potential for privilege escalation and system compromise. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the vulnerability's nature makes it a significant risk for systems using these GPU drivers, especially in environments where local user access is possible. The lack of available patches at the time of publication increases the urgency for mitigation and monitoring.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, particularly for enterprises and government agencies relying on devices with Arm-based GPUs, such as mobile devices, embedded systems, and certain edge computing platforms. Successful exploitation could allow a local attacker to escalate privileges, access sensitive data processed or stored in GPU memory, or disrupt critical services by causing kernel crashes or arbitrary code execution. This is especially concerning for sectors handling sensitive personal data under GDPR, critical infrastructure, and industries with high reliance on secure computing environments. The vulnerability could undermine system integrity and confidentiality, potentially leading to data breaches or operational disruptions. Given the widespread use of Arm GPUs in consumer and industrial devices, the threat surface is broad, and organizations with bring-your-own-device (BYOD) policies or remote work setups may face increased exposure. The absence of known exploits currently provides a window for proactive defense, but the high severity score necessitates immediate attention to prevent future exploitation.

1. Immediate identification and inventory of devices running affected Arm GPU kernel driver versions (r44p0 through r49p3 and r50p0 through r54p0). 2. Apply vendor-provided patches or updates as soon as they become available; monitor Arm Ltd advisories and trusted security bulletins for patch releases. 3. Restrict local user access to systems with vulnerable drivers, enforcing strict access controls and minimizing the number of users with local login capabilities. 4. Employ kernel-level exploit mitigation techniques such as Kernel Address Space Layout Randomization (KASLR) and Kernel Page-Table Isolation (KPTI) where supported. 5. Monitor system logs and GPU driver behavior for anomalous memory access patterns or crashes indicative of exploitation attempts. 6. For high-security environments, consider disabling GPU acceleration or using alternative hardware until patches are applied. 7. Incorporate vulnerability scanning tools capable of detecting affected driver versions in routine security assessments. 8. Educate system administrators and security teams about the vulnerability specifics to enhance detection and response readiness.