CVE-2017-0316 in GeForce Experience
Summary
by MITRE
In GeForce Experience (GFE) 3.x before 3.10.0.55, NVIDIA Installer Framework contains a vulnerability in NVISystemService64 where a value passed from a user to the driver is used without validation, which may lead to denial of service or possible escalation of privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0316 resides within NVIDIA's GeForce Experience software suite, specifically affecting versions 3.x prior to 3.10.0.55. This issue manifests in the NVIDIA Installer Framework component known as NVISystemService64, which serves as a critical system service responsible for managing driver installations and system configurations. The flaw represents a classic input validation failure that occurs when user-supplied data is processed without proper sanitization or verification, creating a potential attack surface that could be exploited by malicious actors.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of parameters passed from user space to kernel space within the NVISystemService64 service. When a user interacts with GeForce Experience to install or update graphics drivers, the system passes various parameters to the underlying driver service. The vulnerability occurs because these parameters are not adequately validated before being processed by the driver component. This lack of input validation creates opportunities for attackers to craft malicious inputs that could cause unexpected behavior in the driver service, potentially leading to system instability or unauthorized privilege escalation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-20, which describes improper input validation, and represents a critical weakness in the software's defensive mechanisms.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to system security and stability. The potential for denial of service means that an attacker could destabilize a system by triggering the vulnerable code path, potentially causing system crashes or preventing legitimate driver installations. More concerning is the possibility of privilege escalation, which could allow an attacker to execute code with elevated privileges, potentially gaining administrative access to the system. The attack surface is particularly concerning because GeForce Experience is commonly installed on gaming and professional workstations where users may have elevated privileges, and the service operates with high system privileges. This vulnerability could be exploited through various attack vectors including social engineering, malicious driver installations, or through compromised user accounts.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability, as it represents a fundamental security flaw in how NVIDIA handles user inputs within their installer framework. Attackers could potentially leverage this vulnerability to bypass security controls, escalate privileges, and gain unauthorized access to sensitive system resources. The risk is amplified by the fact that GeForce Experience is widely deployed across consumer and enterprise environments, making this vulnerability attractive to threat actors seeking to compromise a broad range of systems. Security researchers have classified this issue as particularly dangerous due to its potential for privilege escalation, which could allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with system-level privileges. The vulnerability demonstrates poor security practices in input handling and highlights the importance of implementing robust validation mechanisms in system services that operate with elevated privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0316 should focus on immediate remediation through software updates, as NVIDIA has released patches to address this specific vulnerability. Organizations should ensure all instances of GeForce Experience are updated to version 3.10.0.55 or later to eliminate the risk. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure, particularly in enterprise environments where the software may be deployed across multiple systems. Additional defensive measures include monitoring system logs for unusual driver installation activities, implementing application whitelisting policies to restrict execution of unauthorized software, and conducting regular security assessments to identify potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of secure coding practices, particularly in system services that handle user inputs, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through system service vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing behavioral monitoring to detect anomalous activities that might indicate exploitation attempts against similar vulnerabilities in other system components.