CVE-2022-28191 in Virtual GPU Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 05/18/2022
NVIDIA vGPU software contains a vulnerability in the Virtual GPU Manager (nvidia.ko), where uncontrolled resource consumption can be triggered by an unprivileged regular user, which may lead to denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-28191 resides within NVIDIA vGPU software's Virtual GPU Manager component, specifically in the nvidia.ko kernel module. This flaw represents a significant security concern as it allows unprivileged regular users to exploit resource consumption patterns that can ultimately result in system-wide denial of service conditions. The vulnerability specifically affects the virtual GPU manager functionality that handles resource allocation and management for virtualized graphics environments. The issue manifests when legitimate user processes attempt to consume excessive system resources through crafted API calls or resource requests that are not properly bounded or validated within the kernel module. This represents a classic example of uncontrolled resource consumption that falls under the CWE-400 category of "Uncontrolled Resource Consumption" and can be classified as a resource exhaustion attack vector.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and resource management within the nvidia.ko kernel module. When unprivileged users interact with the virtual GPU manager through specific API interfaces, they can trigger mechanisms that cause the kernel module to allocate and consume system resources without proper bounds or limits. This unbounded resource consumption can lead to memory exhaustion, CPU starvation, or other resource contention issues that prevent legitimate system processes from operating normally. The vulnerability's impact is particularly concerning in virtualized environments where multiple users share the same physical hardware and GPU resources, as a single compromised or malicious user can potentially disrupt services for all other users on the system. The attack surface is broadened by the fact that the vulnerability can be exploited by regular users without requiring elevated privileges, making it especially dangerous in multi-tenant environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2022-28191 extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially compromise entire virtualized computing infrastructures. In cloud computing environments utilizing NVIDIA vGPU technology, this vulnerability could allow attackers to disrupt services for multiple virtual machines or containers sharing the same physical GPU resources. The consequences include reduced system availability, degraded performance for legitimate users, and potential cascading failures in dependent services. Organizations relying on virtualized graphics workloads for applications such as machine learning, data visualization, or remote desktop services face particular risk, as these environments often operate with high resource utilization and limited tolerance for service disruptions. The vulnerability's exploitation can be automated and requires minimal privileges, making it an attractive target for both malicious actors and automated attack tools that seek to establish persistent denial of service conditions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2022-28191 should focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging. The primary recommendation involves applying the latest NVIDIA driver updates and patches that address the resource consumption issues within the nvidia.ko kernel module. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual resource consumption patterns and alert on potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing resource limits and quotas for virtual GPU usage can help contain the impact of any successful exploitation attempts. Organizations should consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable vGPU software. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for "Fork Bomb" and T1566.002 for "Phishing with Social Engineering" as attackers may attempt to gain initial access through social engineering before exploiting this resource consumption vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues across the entire infrastructure stack.