CVE-2016-7385 in Graphics Driver
Summary
by MITRE
For the NVIDIA Quadro, NVS, and GeForce products, NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver R340 before 342.00, R367 before 369.59, and R375 before 375.63 contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer (nvlddmkm.sys) handler for DxgDdiEscape ID 0x700010d where a value passed from a user to the driver is used without validation as the index to an internal array, leading to denial of service or potential escalation of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/12/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7385 represents a critical security flaw within NVIDIA's Windows GPU display drivers affecting multiple product lines including Quadro, NVS, and GeForce series. This vulnerability resides in the kernel mode layer component known as nvlddmkm.sys which serves as the core interface between the graphics driver and the operating system kernel. The flaw manifests specifically within the DxgDdiEscape handler for escape ID 0x700010d, a mechanism used for communication between user-mode applications and kernel-mode driver components. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation where user-provided data is directly utilized as an array index without proper bounds checking or sanitization, creating a classic buffer over-read condition that can be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability places it firmly within the realm of kernel-mode exploitation techniques that can lead to severe operational consequences. When a user application passes a malicious value to the driver through the DxgDdiEscape mechanism, the kernel mode component fails to validate this input before using it as an array index. This creates a scenario where an attacker can potentially manipulate memory access patterns to either cause system instability through denial of service or more critically, gain elevated privileges by corrupting kernel memory structures. The vulnerability affects multiple driver versions across different release branches, specifically targeting R340 before 342.00, R367 before 369.59, and R375 before 375.63, indicating a widespread issue that spans across several driver generations. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability maps to CWE-129, which represents "Improper Validation of Array Index" and falls under the broader category of input validation flaws that can lead to memory corruption. The operational impact extends beyond simple denial of service as the vulnerability creates opportunities for privilege escalation attacks that can compromise the entire system security posture.
The potential attack vectors for this vulnerability align with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation and defense evasion domains. Attackers can leverage this flaw through malicious graphics applications or by exploiting other attack vectors that lead to code execution within the context of the graphics driver. The kernel mode nature of the vulnerability means that successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise, as the attacker gains access to the most privileged execution environment. The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability can be particularly disruptive in enterprise environments where graphics-intensive applications are common, potentially leading to system crashes and service interruptions. Organizations running affected NVIDIA drivers face significant risk exposure, as the vulnerability can be exploited remotely through graphics-intensive applications or by malicious actors who gain user-level access to systems with vulnerable drivers installed. The impact is further amplified by the fact that these drivers are commonly installed on both desktop and server systems, making the attack surface particularly broad. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation in kernel-mode components and highlights the necessity of regular driver updates to maintain system security. The vulnerability serves as a prime example of why kernel-mode security is paramount in modern computing environments and why organizations must implement robust patch management processes to address such critical flaws in graphics driver components.