Pixel 10 Takes a Hit!? A “Holy Grail” Vulnerability Discovered in Tensor G5’s VPU!

📰 News Summary

• Google Project Zero has reported a 0-click exploit chain affecting the Pixel 10 (powered by Tensor G5).
• A critical vulnerability has been found in the newly adopted VPU driver’s vpu_mmap handler, which fails to limit the mapping size.
• By exploiting this bug, attackers can gain arbitrary read/write kernel access with just 5 lines of code.

💡 Key Points

• Flaw in the VPU Driver: The driver for the Chips&Media WAVE677DV introduced with the Pixel 10 exposes the hardware interface directly to user space, lacking memory boundary checks.
• Fixed Physical Addresses: The physical addresses of the kernel in Pixel devices are fixed, allowing attackers to bypass ASLR and accurately overwrite kernel areas.
• Quick Fix: Reported in November 2025, this vulnerability was already patched in the February 2026 security update.

🦈 Shark’s Eye (Curator’s Perspective)

This attack method is razor-sharp, folks! The BigWave driver used in Pixel 9 has been retired, and the newly introduced VPU driver in Tensor G5 got hit right off the bat. Particularly alarming is the implementation of vpu_mmap, which invokes remap_pfn_range without any constraints on the size of the VMA (Virtual Memory Area)—a “Holy Grail” level oversight that forgets the basics of security!

What’s even scarier is that the kernel image is positioned at a higher physical address than the VPU register area, allowing attackers to simply specify a large mapping size to drag the kernel itself into user space. With a known offset, no scanning is even necessary… This is a developer’s worst nightmare!

🚀 What’s Next?

Following this report, we can expect stricter code audits for Tensor chip-specific drivers. Google has immediately classified this bug as “High severity,” accelerating efforts to strengthen the security posture of its custom silicon. Users must ensure they apply patches released after February 2026!

💬 HaruShark’s Take

To think that just 5 lines could expose the kernel is like a shark’s bite sinking a ship! Always check for the latest updates to keep your defenses strong!

📚 Terminology

• RET PAC: A protection technology for return addresses adopted in the Pixel 10, functioning as a replacement for traditional stack protection (-fstack-protector).

• VPU (Video Processing Unit): A dedicated chip that accelerates tasks like video decoding, integrated within the Tensor G5 in the Pixel 10.

• remap_pfn_range: A function used to map physical memory in the kernel space to virtual memory in user space.

• Source: A 0-click exploit chain for the Pixel 10