CVE-2015-5053 in GPU Graphics Driver
Summary
by MITRE
The host memory mapping path feature in the NVIDIA GPU graphics driver R346 before 346.87 and R352 before 352.41 for Linux and R352 before 352.46 for GRID vGPU and vSGA does not properly restrict access to third-party device IO memory, which allows attackers to gain privileges, cause a denial of service (resource consumption), or possibly have unspecified other impact via unknown vectors related to the follow_pfn kernel-mode API call.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/11/2018
The vulnerability described in CVE-2015-5053 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within NVIDIA GPU graphics drivers affecting multiple driver versions across Linux and GRID vGPU environments. This issue resides in the host memory mapping path feature implementation where proper access controls fail to restrict unauthorized third-party device IO memory access. The flaw specifically impacts NVIDIA driver releases prior to 346.87 for Linux and R352 before 352.41 for GRID vGPU and vSGA configurations, creating a significant security gap that adversaries can exploit to elevate their privileges and compromise system integrity. The vulnerability stems from inadequate kernel-mode API call handling within the follow_pfn interface, which serves as a critical pathway for memory management operations in GPU driver architectures.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves improper memory access restrictions within the kernel-level GPU driver components that manage host memory mapping operations. When the follow_pfn kernel-mode API call processes memory mapping requests, it fails to adequately validate or constrain access to third-party device IO memory regions that should remain restricted to authorized processes. This design flaw allows malicious actors to manipulate memory access patterns and potentially traverse security boundaries that should prevent unauthorized memory operations. The vulnerability manifests through the driver's insufficient validation of memory mapping requests, enabling attackers to access memory regions that contain sensitive data or system resources. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in memory management and privilege control mechanisms, specifically categorized under CWE-264 Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls, where insufficient checks on memory access permissions create opportunities for privilege escalation.
The operational impact of CVE-2015-5053 extends beyond simple privilege escalation to encompass potential denial of service conditions and unspecified security consequences that could affect system stability and data integrity. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can consume system resources through malicious memory allocation patterns, potentially leading to system crashes or resource exhaustion that impacts normal operations. The memory consumption aspect of this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for resource consumption attacks, where adversaries target system resources to disrupt operations. Additionally, the unspecified other impacts suggest potential data exposure or system compromise scenarios that could enable attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects both standard Linux GPU deployments and virtualized GRID environments, making it particularly concerning for enterprise systems that rely on GPU acceleration for various computing tasks.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate driver version updates to patched releases that address the memory access control deficiencies in the host memory mapping path feature. System administrators should prioritize updating NVIDIA GPU drivers to versions 346.87 or later for Linux systems and 352.41 or later for GRID vGPU and vSGA configurations to eliminate the privilege escalation pathway. Beyond patching, organizations should implement additional security controls including kernel module access restrictions, memory protection mechanisms, and monitoring for suspicious memory access patterns. The vulnerability's nature suggests that runtime memory protection features should be enhanced to detect and prevent unauthorized memory mapping operations, particularly those involving third-party device IO memory regions. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit potential exploitation vectors and establish monitoring protocols that can detect abnormal memory consumption patterns or unauthorized privilege escalation attempts that may indicate exploitation of this vulnerability.