CVE-2016-7386 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 0x70000D4 which may lead to leaking of kernel memory contents to user space through an uninitialized buffer.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/02/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-7386 represents a critical kernel-mode memory exposure issue affecting NVIDIA graphics drivers across multiple product lines including Quadro, NVS, and GeForce series. This flaw exists within the Windows GPU Display Driver components specifically in the nvlddmkm.sys kernel mode driver that handles DirectX graphics operations. The vulnerability manifests through the DxgDdiEscape function with ID 0x70000D4, which processes escape commands for graphics driver operations. The affected driver versions include R340 before 342.00, R367 before 369.59, and R375 before 375.63, indicating this issue spans multiple driver generations and represents a long-standing security gap in NVIDIA's graphics stack implementation. This vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which specifically addresses "Information Exposure" and falls under the broader category of kernel-mode privilege escalation vulnerabilities. The technical flaw stems from improper initialization of memory buffers within the kernel mode layer, creating a scenario where sensitive kernel memory contents can be inadvertently exposed to user-mode applications through the graphics driver interface.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides potential attackers with access to sensitive kernel memory that may contain critical system information, cryptographic keys, or other confidential data. When user-mode applications invoke the DxgDdiEscape function with ID 0x70000D4, they can trigger the uninitialized buffer condition that allows kernel memory to be read into user-space buffers. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the memory protection mechanisms that separate user-mode and kernel-mode execution environments. The vulnerability creates a pathway for privilege escalation attacks where malicious software could potentially extract system-level information that would normally be protected from user-space access. From an attack perspective, this flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1056.001 for "Input Prompting" and T1068 for "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" as it enables attackers to gain access to privileged system information. The memory leakage could potentially expose kernel data structures, system handles, or other sensitive information that could be leveraged in subsequent attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-7386 require immediate driver updates from NVIDIA to address the uninitialized buffer condition in the nvlddmkm.sys component. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems to versions 342.00, 369.59, and 375.63 respectively for the affected driver series. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unusual graphics driver behavior or unexpected memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper buffer initialization in kernel-mode code and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of graphics driver components. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing security controls such as driver signature enforcement and kernel-mode protection mechanisms to limit the impact of such vulnerabilities. The issue underscores the necessity of maintaining up-to-date graphics drivers as part of overall system security management, since graphics drivers often operate with elevated privileges and present significant attack surface opportunities. Regular security assessments of kernel-mode components should include evaluation of buffer management practices and memory protection mechanisms to prevent similar information disclosure vulnerabilities from emerging in the future.