CVE-2020-5984 in Virtual GPU Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 10/04/2020
NVIDIA Virtual GPU Manager contains a vulnerability in the vGPU plugin in which it may have the use-after-free vulnerability while freeing some resources, which may lead to denial of service, code execution, and information disclosure. This affects vGPU version 8.x (prior to 8.5), version 10.x (prior to 10.4) and version 11.0.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/16/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-5984 resides within NVIDIA Virtual GPU Manager's vGPU plugin component, representing a critical use-after-free flaw that can be exploited across multiple versions of the virtual GPU software. This vulnerability specifically manifests during the resource cleanup process when the vGPU plugin attempts to free memory allocations, creating opportunities for malicious actors to manipulate memory state and execute arbitrary code. The flaw affects versions 8.x prior to 8.5, 10.x prior to 10.4, and version 11.0, indicating a widespread impact across NVIDIA's virtual GPU ecosystem. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-416, which specifically addresses use-after-free conditions where program memory is accessed after it has been freed, making it particularly dangerous in virtualized environments where multiple processes may interact with shared resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass potential code execution and information disclosure capabilities that can severely compromise virtualized computing environments. When the vGPU plugin encounters a use-after-free condition during resource deallocation, attackers can potentially manipulate the freed memory to redirect execution flow or extract sensitive information from system memory. This represents a significant threat to virtual desktop infrastructure and cloud computing environments that rely on NVIDIA vGPU technology for graphics processing and virtualization. The vulnerability's exploitation can lead to complete system compromise where attackers gain the ability to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges, potentially allowing them to establish persistent access or escalate their privileges within the virtualized environment.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and code injection, as the use-after-free condition can be leveraged to execute malicious payloads within the context of the vGPU manager process. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where virtualized desktop infrastructure and GPU-accelerated applications are prevalent, as these systems often contain sensitive data and serve as critical components of organizational computing infrastructure. The vulnerability's presence in multiple major version streams indicates that organizations utilizing NVIDIA vGPU technology across different software releases require immediate attention and remediation efforts to protect against potential exploitation.
Organizations should prioritize immediate patching of affected vGPU versions to mitigate the risk of exploitation, as the vulnerability can be leveraged for both denial of service attacks and more sophisticated exploitation techniques. The remediation process should include updating to the patched versions 8.5, 10.4, and the corresponding release for version 11.0, respectively, while implementing monitoring for suspicious activities that may indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced around systems utilizing affected vGPU software to limit potential attack vectors and reduce the impact of successful exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date virtualization software and implementing comprehensive security controls around virtualized environments where GPU acceleration is utilized.