CVE-2021-39801 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This CVE article provides insights into a possible use after free vulnerability in the Android kernel, leading to local privilege escalation.

Understanding CVE-2021-39801

This section delves into the details of the identified vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-39801?

CVE-2021-39801 is a use after free vulnerability in ion_ioctl of ion-ioctl.c in the Android kernel, potentially enabling local privilege escalation without requiring additional execution privileges or user interaction.

The Impact of CVE-2021-39801

The vulnerability could allow an attacker to locally escalate privileges on affected systems, posing a significant security risk.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-39801

Explore the technical aspects of the vulnerability in this section.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from improper locking in ion_ioctl of ion-ioctl.c, making it prone to use after free scenarios.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: Android
Affected Version: Android kernel

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability can be exploited locally without user interaction by leveraging the improper locking issue in ion_ioctl.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn about the steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2021-39801.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply patches from the vendor promptly.
Monitor vendor communications for security advisories.

Long-Term Security Practices

Keep systems up to date with the latest security patches.
Implement least privilege access policies.

Patching and Updates

Regularly check for and apply security updates provided by the Android vendor to address this vulnerability.