CVE-2019-5677 in Windows GPU Display Driver
Summary
by MITRE
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display driver software for Windows (all versions) contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer (nvlddmkm.sys) handler for DeviceIoControl where the software reads from a buffer using buffer access mechanisms such as indexes or pointers that reference memory locations after the targeted buffer, which may lead to denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5677 resides within NVIDIA's Windows GPU display driver software affecting all versions released for the Windows operating system. This flaw exists specifically within the kernel mode layer of the driver, namely in the nvlddmkm.sys component which serves as the primary interface between the GPU hardware and the Windows kernel. The vulnerability manifests through improper buffer management during DeviceIoControl operations, a critical system call mechanism used for communication between user-mode applications and kernel-mode drivers. The root cause of this vulnerability can be classified under CWE-125, which represents an out-of-bounds read condition where memory locations beyond the intended buffer boundaries are accessed.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the kernel mode driver processes DeviceIoControl requests without proper bounds checking on user-supplied input data. Attackers can exploit this by crafting malicious input parameters that cause the driver to reference memory locations that extend beyond the allocated buffer boundaries. This improper memory access pattern can result in unpredictable behavior including system crashes, kernel panics, or complete system lockups. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level where unauthorized access to memory can lead to privilege escalation and system compromise. The flaw does not require elevated privileges to trigger, making it a significant concern for both local and remote attack scenarios. From an operational perspective, this vulnerability directly impacts the stability and availability of systems running affected NVIDIA drivers, potentially leading to denial of service conditions that can affect productivity and business continuity.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5677 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks within the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and defense evasion categories. System administrators and security professionals must consider the implications of this vulnerability when assessing their overall security posture, particularly in enterprise environments where GPU acceleration is commonly used. The vulnerability's presence in all versions of the driver indicates a fundamental flaw in the codebase that requires immediate attention and remediation. Organizations should prioritize patch management activities to address this vulnerability, as it provides attackers with a reliable method for causing system instability and potentially gaining unauthorized access to system resources. The attack surface is broad since any application or service that utilizes NVIDIA GPU drivers and makes DeviceIoControl calls could potentially be exploited. Security teams should monitor for indicators of compromise related to system crashes or unexpected reboots that may be attributed to this vulnerability, and implement appropriate network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-5677 should include immediate deployment of NVIDIA's official security patches and updates that address the buffer over-read condition in the nvlddmkm.sys driver component. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous DeviceIoControl behavior patterns and system instability events that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's nature suggests that traditional antivirus solutions may not effectively detect or prevent exploitation, requiring more sophisticated behavioral monitoring approaches. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected NVIDIA drivers and prioritize remediation efforts accordingly. Additional defensive measures include restricting user access to GPU-related system calls where possible and implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent unauthorized applications from making potentially malicious DeviceIoControl requests. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of maintaining current driver versions and implementing robust patch management processes to ensure timely resolution of security issues. From a compliance perspective, organizations should document their remediation efforts and maintain evidence of patch deployment to meet regulatory requirements for vulnerability management and system security.