CVE-2013-0109 in Graphics Drivers
Summary
by MITRE
The NVIDIA driver before 307.78, and Release 310 before 311.00, in the NVIDIA Display Driver service on Windows does not properly handle exceptions, which allows local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service (memory overwrite) via a crafted application.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/22/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-0109 represents a critical flaw in the NVIDIA Display Driver service running on Windows operating systems. This issue affects versions prior to 307.78 of the NVIDIA driver and Release 310 before 311.00, creating a significant security risk for systems utilizing NVIDIA graphics hardware. The vulnerability stems from improper exception handling within the driver service, which creates exploitable conditions that can be leveraged by malicious actors.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the driver's failure to properly manage exception conditions during runtime operations. When a crafted application attempts to interact with the NVIDIA Display Driver service, the improper exception handling mechanism allows for memory corruption that can result in either privilege escalation or denial of service conditions. This flaw falls under the category of improper exception handling as defined by CWE-754, which specifically addresses situations where software fails to properly handle exceptional conditions that may arise during execution. The vulnerability creates opportunities for attackers to manipulate the driver's memory management systems, potentially leading to unauthorized privilege elevation or system instability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a serious threat to system security and stability. Local users with access to the system can exploit this flaw to either gain elevated privileges, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary code with system-level permissions, or to cause a denial of service condition that could result in system crashes or memory overwrites. The impact extends beyond simple system instability as the privilege escalation aspect could enable attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, or establish persistent access to compromised systems. This vulnerability particularly affects enterprise environments where NVIDIA graphics drivers are widely deployed and where local user access may be more prevalent than expected.
The exploitation of this vulnerability aligns with several tactics described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly those related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. Attackers could leverage this flaw as part of a broader attack chain to establish persistence and maintain access to target systems. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation issue means that attackers do not require remote access to exploit it, making it particularly dangerous in environments where local access is possible. Organizations should consider implementing additional security controls to monitor for unusual driver behavior or unauthorized privilege changes that might indicate exploitation attempts.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patching of affected NVIDIA driver versions to the recommended secure releases. System administrators should prioritize updating all affected systems to versions 307.78 or later for the primary driver and 311.00 or later for Release 310. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous driver behavior or memory access patterns may help identify potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider restricting local user access where possible and implementing least privilege principles to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining current driver versions and the potential security implications that can arise from improper exception handling in system-level software components.