CVE-2021-23219 in Maxwell
Summary
by MITRE • 11/20/2021
NVIDIA GPU and Tegra hardware contain a vulnerability in the internal microcontroller which may allow a user with elevated privileges to access protected information, which may lead to information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-23219 affects NVIDIA GPU and Tegra hardware platforms through a flaw in their internal microcontroller design. This weakness resides within the hardware security mechanisms that govern access controls and information protection. The vulnerability specifically targets the microcontroller's ability to enforce proper access restrictions, creating a potential pathway for information disclosure. The flaw represents a significant concern for systems relying on NVIDIA's hardware security features, particularly in environments where privileged users might attempt to exploit such weaknesses.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access control mechanisms within the microcontroller architecture. The internal microcontroller responsible for managing hardware security functions fails to properly validate access requests from elevated privilege users. This design shortcoming allows authenticated users with administrative or root-level access to bypass normal security boundaries and gain unauthorized access to protected information. The vulnerability manifests when the microcontroller fails to properly enforce privilege levels during information access requests, creating an information disclosure vector.
Operational impact of CVE-2021-23219 extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially compromising entire system security postures. Organizations utilizing NVIDIA GPU and Tegra hardware platforms face risks of unauthorized information access, particularly in environments where privileged accounts are compromised or misused. The vulnerability can lead to exposure of sensitive system configurations, cryptographic keys, or other protected data that should remain inaccessible to elevated privilege users. This information disclosure can facilitate further attacks including privilege escalation, lateral movement, or complete system compromise depending on the nature of the protected information.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. NVIDIA has released firmware updates and patches to address the microcontroller access control flaw, requiring system administrators to apply these updates promptly across affected hardware platforms. Organizations should implement strict access control policies and privilege management to minimize the impact of potential exploitation. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284, which describes inadequate access control mechanisms, and may be exploited through techniques consistent with attack patterns found in the ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation and credential access domains. Regular security assessments and monitoring of privileged account activities become critical defensive measures against potential exploitation of this hardware-level vulnerability.