CVE-2019-0114 in Graphics Driver
Summary
by MITRE
A race condition in Intel(R) Graphics Drivers before version 10.18.14.5067 (aka 15.36.x.5067) and 10.18.10.5069 (aka 15.33.x.5069) may allow an authenticated user to potentially enable a denial of service via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2023
This vulnerability represents a critical race condition flaw within Intel graphics drivers that affects multiple versions of the Intel Graphics Driver software. The issue manifests in driver versions prior to 10.18.14.5067 and 10.18.10.5069, specifically impacting the 15.36.x and 15.33.x release series. The vulnerability stems from improper synchronization mechanisms during driver operations, creating a window where concurrent processes can interfere with each other's execution paths. This race condition vulnerability falls under the CWE-362 category of "Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1489 which covers system shutdown/reboot to deny service. The flaw allows an authenticated local user to exploit this timing issue and potentially cause a denial of service condition.
The technical implementation of this race condition occurs within the graphics driver's internal state management and resource allocation processes. When multiple threads or processes attempt to access shared graphics resources simultaneously, the driver fails to properly coordinate their access patterns. This improper synchronization allows one thread to interfere with another's operation, potentially causing the graphics subsystem to enter an inconsistent state. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only local authentication, meaning any user with login access to the system can potentially exploit this weakness. The race condition typically occurs during driver initialization, resource allocation, or context switching operations where the driver's internal locks or semaphores are not properly enforced.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability can severely disrupt system functionality by causing graphics driver crashes, system instability, or complete denial of graphics services. In enterprise environments, this could lead to productivity losses as users experience display failures, application crashes, or system freezes. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous in multi-user systems where an authenticated attacker could exploit it to deny service to other users or even compromise the overall system stability. The local access requirement means that the attack surface is limited to systems where users already have legitimate login credentials, but this still represents a significant security risk in environments where privilege escalation is possible. The vulnerability also has implications for security monitoring systems that rely on consistent graphics subsystem behavior for proper operation.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability require immediate driver updates to versions 10.18.14.5067 or 10.18.10.5069 and later, which contain the necessary synchronization fixes. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected systems, particularly in enterprise environments where the risk of exploitation is higher. Additional defensive measures include implementing proper access controls to limit local user privileges where possible, monitoring for unusual graphics driver behavior, and maintaining regular security assessments of graphics driver configurations. Organizations should also consider implementing endpoint detection and response solutions that can identify anomalous behavior patterns consistent with race condition exploitation attempts. The fix addresses the root cause by implementing proper locking mechanisms and synchronization primitives within the driver's resource management code, ensuring that concurrent access to shared graphics resources is properly coordinated and prevents the race condition scenario from occurring.