CVE-2021-1905
Use After Free in Possible use after free due to improper handling of memory mapping of multiple processes simultaneously
Executive Summary
CVE-2021-1905 is a high severity vulnerability affecting binary-analysis. It is classified as Use After Free. This vulnerability is actively being exploited in the wild.
Precogs AI Insight
"A use-after-free vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Adreno GPU drivers when simultaneously mapping memory across multiple processes. Adversaries trigger race conditions in the graphics pipeline to corrupt memory and escalate privileges. Precogs Binary Analysis detects missing locking primitives in concurrent hardware drivers."
What is this vulnerability?
CVE-2021-1905 is categorized as a high Use After Free flaw with a CVSS base score of 8.4. Based on our vulnerability intelligence, this issue occurs when the application fails to securely handle untrusted data boundaries.
Possible use after free due to improper handling of memory mapping of multiple processes simultaneously. in Snapdragon Auto, Snapdragon Compute, Snapdragon Connectivity, Snapdragon Consumer IOT, Snapdragon Industrial IOT, Snapdragon Mobile, Snapdragon Voice & Music, Snapdragon Wearables
This architectural defect enables adversaries to bypass intended security controls, directly manipulating the application's execution state or data layer. Immediate strategic intervention is required.
Risk Assessment
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| CVSS Base Score | 8.4 (HIGH) |
| Vector String | CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H |
| Published | May 7, 2021 |
| Last Modified | October 28, 2025 |
| Related CWEs | CWE-416, CWE-416 |
Impact on Systems
✅ Remote Code Execution: Attackers can overwrite the instruction pointer to redirect execution to malicious shellcode.
✅ Memory Corruption: Overwriting adjacent memory regions can corrupt critical application state, leading to privilege escalation.
✅ Denial of Service: Triggering segmentation faults results in immediate disruption of critical systems.
How to Fix and Mitigate CVE-2021-1905
- Apply Vendor Patches Immediately: This vulnerability is listed in CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Apply updates per vendor instructions.
- Verify Patch Deployment: Confirm all instances are updated using Precogs continuous monitoring.
- Review Audit Logs: Investigate historical access logs for indicators of compromise related to this attack surface.
- Implement Defense-in-Depth: Deploy WAF rules, network segmentation, and endpoint detection to limit blast radius.
Defending with Precogs AI
A use-after-free vulnerability exists in Qualcomm Adreno GPU drivers when simultaneously mapping memory across multiple processes. Adversaries trigger race conditions in the graphics pipeline to corrupt memory and escalate privileges. Precogs Binary Analysis detects missing locking primitives in concurrent hardware drivers.
Use Precogs to continuously scan your codebase, binaries, APIs, and infrastructure for this vulnerability class and related attack patterns. Our AI-powered detection engine combines static analysis with threat intelligence to identify exploitable weaknesses before attackers do.
Vulnerability Code Signature
Attack Data Flow
| Stage | Detail |
|---|---|
| Source | Memory allocation pointer |
| Vector | Pointer is accessed after the memory has been freed |
| Sink | Dangling pointer dereference |
| Impact | Memory corruption, sandbox escape, Remote Code Execution (RCE) |
Vulnerable Code Pattern
// ❌ VULNERABLE: Use After Free
char *ptr = malloc(256);
free(ptr);
// Taint sink: accessing freed memory
strcpy(ptr, "Exploit payload");
Secure Code Pattern
// ✅ SECURE: Nullifying pointers
char *ptr = malloc(256);
free(ptr);
// Sanitized state: pointer set to NULL
ptr = NULL;
How Precogs Detects This
Precogs Binary SAST engine identifies dangling pointers and complex use-after-free conditions in compiled rendering engines and system libraries.\n