CVE-2012-0953 in Graphics Drivers
Summary
by MITRE
A race condition was discovered in the Linux drivers for Nvidia graphics which allowed an attacker to exfiltrate kernel memory to userspace. This issue was fixed in version 295.53.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-0953 represents a critical race condition flaw within the NVIDIA graphics driver implementation for Linux systems. This issue specifically affected the kernel-level driver components responsible for managing graphics hardware access and memory operations. The race condition emerged from improper synchronization mechanisms during memory access operations between kernel and user space contexts, creating a window of opportunity for malicious exploitation.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate locking mechanisms within the NVIDIA driver code that governs how kernel memory regions are accessed and shared with user applications. When multiple threads or processes attempt to access graphics memory simultaneously, the absence of proper mutual exclusion controls allows for unpredictable memory access patterns. This condition enables an attacker to manipulate the timing of memory operations to force the kernel to expose sensitive memory contents to user space through controlled memory reads. The vulnerability operates under CWE-362, which categorizes race conditions as a fundamental flaw in concurrent programming where the order of execution affects program behavior and security properties.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with the capability to extract arbitrary kernel memory contents including sensitive data structures, cryptographic keys, and other confidential information. Attackers can leverage this privilege escalation vector to gain deeper system access and potentially compromise the entire kernel memory space. The exploitation process typically involves carefully crafted user-space programs that trigger the race condition repeatedly until sufficient kernel memory is exposed to be read by the attacker. This capability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for privilege escalation and T1003 for credential access through kernel memory manipulation.
The vulnerability affects systems running Linux kernels with NVIDIA graphics drivers, particularly those using driver versions prior to 295.53 where the race condition was patched. The fix implemented by NVIDIA addressed the core synchronization issues by introducing proper locking mechanisms and ensuring that memory access operations are properly serialized. Organizations affected by this vulnerability should prioritize updating their graphics drivers to the patched versions and implement monitoring for unusual memory access patterns. System administrators should also consider implementing additional security controls such as kernel memory protection features and access control mechanisms to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities. The remediation process requires careful consideration of driver compatibility and system stability, as graphics driver updates can sometimes introduce regressions in system functionality.