CVE-2017-0352 in GPU Display Driver
Summary
by MITRE
All versions of the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver contain a vulnerability in the GPU firmware where incorrect access control may allow CPU access sensitive GPU control registers, leading to an escalation of privileges
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/10/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0352 represents a critical security flaw within NVIDIA GPU Display Drivers that affects all versions of the graphics driver software. This vulnerability exists within the GPU firmware itself, specifically in how access controls are implemented for sensitive GPU control registers. The flaw allows unauthorized CPU access to critical GPU control registers that should be restricted to privileged system components only. This represents a fundamental breakdown in the hardware security model of NVIDIA's graphics processing units, where the firmware fails to properly enforce access restrictions that are essential for maintaining system integrity and security boundaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper access control mechanisms within the GPU firmware architecture. When the GPU firmware processes requests for control register access, it fails to adequately validate whether the requesting component has proper authorization to access specific registers. This flaw enables a malicious actor with user-level privileges to potentially access sensitive GPU control registers that contain critical system configuration data, interrupt handling mechanisms, and other privileged operational parameters. The vulnerability operates at the firmware level, making it particularly dangerous as it bypasses traditional operating system security controls and access management mechanisms. This type of flaw falls under CWE-284 which specifically addresses improper access control issues in software systems, and more broadly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through system or network vulnerabilities.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0352 is severe and potentially catastrophic for affected systems. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can achieve privilege escalation from standard user level to system level access, effectively bypassing the operating system's security model. This escalation allows for complete system compromise, enabling the execution of arbitrary code with the highest privileges available to the system. The vulnerability particularly affects systems running Windows operating systems where NVIDIA graphics drivers are installed, as these drivers are commonly used in enterprise environments and personal computing devices. The implications extend beyond simple privilege escalation, as access to GPU control registers can potentially enable attackers to manipulate graphics processing operations, access memory management units, and interfere with system stability in ways that could lead to data corruption or complete system failure.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-0352 require immediate action from system administrators and security teams. The primary recommendation is to update to the latest NVIDIA GPU Display Drivers, as NVIDIA has released patches addressing this specific vulnerability. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management procedures to ensure all affected systems receive the necessary updates promptly. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing runtime monitoring solutions that can detect unauthorized access attempts to GPU control registers. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help limit the potential damage if exploitation occurs, though these are not complete solutions given the nature of the vulnerability. The remediation process should include thorough vulnerability scanning to identify all affected systems, followed by systematic patch deployment across the enterprise environment. Security teams should also consider implementing hardware security modules or trusted platform modules that can provide additional protection against firmware-level attacks. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date firmware and driver software, as well as the necessity of comprehensive security testing at all levels of the computing stack, from operating system components to hardware firmware implementations.