Security readout for executives and security teams
Plain-English summary
CVE-2021-34386 affects NVIDIA Jetson TX1 systems running Jetson Linux before r32.5.1. A memory allocation calculation can overflow inside NVIDIA’s TLK kernel, potentially leading to heap corruption. The published severity is medium, but confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated high if exploitation succeeds.
Executive priority
Treat this as a targeted platform-risk item, not a broad enterprise emergency. Prioritize if Jetson TX1 devices support sensitive operations or physical processes, because successful exploitation could compromise data, integrity, and availability on the device.
Technical view
The issue is an integer overflow in Trusty TLK calloc size calculation. Multiplying count and size can wrap, allocate too little memory, and create a heap overflow condition. CVSS 3.1 is 6.3 with local access, high attack complexity, high privileges, and user interaction required.
Likely exposure
Exposure appears limited to NVIDIA Jetson TX1 devices on Jetson Linux versions before r32.5.1. The source bundle does not identify other Jetson models, CPEs, internet-exposed services, or remotely reachable attack paths.
Exploitation context
The CVSS vector indicates local access, high privileges, high complexity, and user interaction. The CVE is not marked KEV, and the provided sources do not report active exploitation or public exploit availability.
Researcher notes
Public detail is limited. No CWE is listed in the bundle. The strongest technical signal is integer overflow in calloc size computation leading to possible heap overflow inside NVIDIA TLK. Scope should not be expanded beyond Jetson TX1 before r32.5.1 without additional vendor evidence.
Mitigation direction
- Identify Jetson TX1 devices and record their Jetson Linux release versions.
- Upgrade affected Jetson TX1 systems to Jetson Linux r32.5.1 or later where applicable.
- Review NVIDIA advisory 5205 for vendor-specific update guidance and caveats.
- Restrict local administrative access on affected devices until updates are confirmed.
- Prioritize systems used in sensitive edge, robotics, or physical operations.
Validation and detection
- Confirm whether any managed Jetson TX1 devices run Jetson Linux before r32.5.1.
- Verify updated systems report Jetson Linux r32.5.1 or a later applicable release.
- Check asset inventory for unmanaged or lab Jetson TX1 devices.
- Review change records for successful firmware or OS update completion.
- Document any devices that cannot be upgraded and their compensating controls.
Public sources used
Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.
Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context
These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.
ATT&CK lookup starting points
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CVE-2021-34386 mapping review
Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.
Open ATT&CK lookup- Severity
- Medium
- CVSS
- 6.3 (3.1)
- Known Exploited
- No
- Published
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5
These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.
CVSS vector scores
1 official scoreWe collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H0.35.9Primary CVE scoreVulnerability scoring details
Base CVSS 3.1 score
6.3MediumVector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Source materials
- CVE List V5 sourceCVE List V5
- https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5205CVE reference · x_refsource_CONFIRM
Products and packages named in the record
CWE details
CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.