CVE-2016-8805 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 0x7000014 where a value passed from an 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 • 04/09/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2016-8805 represents a critical security flaw within NVIDIA's Windows GPU display drivers affecting multiple product lines including Quadro, NVS, and GeForce series. This issue 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 vulnerability specifically targets the DxgDdiEscape function with ID 0x7000014, which is part of the DirectX graphics driver interface used for communication between applications and the graphics hardware. The flaw manifests when user-supplied data is utilized as an array index without proper validation, creating a potential pathway for exploitation that could result in either denial of service conditions or privilege escalation attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the kernel mode driver component. When applications invoke the DxgDdiEscape function with ID 0x7000014, they pass parameters that are subsequently used to index into internal driver arrays. The absence of proper bounds checking or validation means that maliciously crafted input values could cause the driver to access memory locations outside the intended array boundaries. This type of flaw falls under the CWE-129 weakness category, specifically addressing "Improper Validation of Array Index" which is a well-documented vulnerability pattern that can lead to memory corruption and arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within the kernel mode layer where privilege escalation is possible, potentially allowing attackers to gain elevated system privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential privilege escalation capabilities that could compromise entire systems. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they could potentially execute arbitrary code with kernel-level privileges, effectively bypassing operating system security mechanisms and gaining complete control over the affected system. This makes the vulnerability particularly dangerous in environments where GPU drivers are frequently used for graphics-intensive applications or where systems may be exposed to untrusted input sources. The affected driver versions span multiple release branches, indicating that the vulnerability was present across a broad range of NVIDIA products and could affect both enterprise and consumer systems. The vulnerability's presence in the kernel mode layer also means that exploitation could lead to system crashes, data corruption, or persistent backdoor access that would be difficult to detect and remediate.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate driver updates from NVIDIA, specifically upgrading to versions 342.00, 369.59, or 375.63 depending on the affected driver branch. System administrators should prioritize patching these drivers across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where GPU acceleration is heavily utilized. Additional defensive measures include implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict which applications can invoke the vulnerable DxgDdiEscape function, monitoring for unusual driver behavior, and conducting regular security assessments of graphics driver installations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a privilege escalation technique, potentially mapping to tactics such as privilege escalation through kernel mode exploitation and defense evasion through persistent access mechanisms. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable drivers and establish incident response procedures specifically addressing kernel-level driver vulnerabilities to ensure rapid response capabilities when such threats are detected.