CVE-2022-28192 in Virtual GPU Manager
Summary
by MITRE • 05/18/2022
NVIDIA vGPU software contains a vulnerability in the Virtual GPU Manager (nvidia.ko), where it may lead to a use-after-free, which in turn may cause denial of service. This attack is complex to carry out because the attacker needs to have control over freeing some host side resources out of sequence, which requires elevated privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2022-28192 resides within NVIDIA vGPU software's Virtual GPU Manager component known as nvidia.ko kernel module. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that manifests as a use-after-free condition, a common class of memory corruption vulnerabilities that occur when a program continues to reference memory after it has been freed. The vulnerability specifically affects the virtual GPU management functionality that enables multiple virtual machines to share physical GPU resources in virtualized environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper resource management within the nvidia.ko kernel module where memory allocations and deallocations occur in an insecure sequence. When the Virtual GPU Manager handles requests for GPU resource allocation and deallocation, it fails to properly synchronize access to shared memory structures, leading to scenarios where freed memory regions may still be referenced by subsequent operations. This use-after-free condition creates a potential pathway for arbitrary code execution or system instability, though the attack complexity is elevated due to the requirement for specific preconditions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends significantly within virtualized environments where NVIDIA vGPU technology is deployed. A successful exploitation could result in complete denial of service conditions affecting all virtual machines utilizing the compromised GPU resources, potentially disrupting critical business operations in cloud computing environments, data centers, and enterprise virtualization platforms. The vulnerability affects systems running NVIDIA vGPU software versions prior to the patched releases, making it particularly concerning for organizations relying on GPU virtualization for their computing infrastructure.
Attackers must possess elevated privileges to effectively exploit this vulnerability, as the attack vector requires control over specific host-side resource management operations and the ability to manipulate the timing of memory deallocations. This privilege requirement places the vulnerability in the context of privilege escalation attacks within virtualized environments, where attackers may have already compromised a guest operating system or gained administrative access to the virtualization layer. The complexity of exploitation aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers privilege escalation through local system exploitation.
Security mitigations for CVE-2022-28192 primarily involve applying the latest NVIDIA vGPU software patches and updates provided through official channels. Organizations should prioritize patch management processes to ensure all virtualized environments utilizing NVIDIA vGPU technology are updated with the latest security fixes. System administrators should also implement monitoring solutions to detect anomalous resource allocation patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing least privilege principles and restricting access to virtualization management interfaces can reduce the attack surface and limit potential exploitation success.
This vulnerability maps to CWE-416, which specifically addresses the use-after-free error condition, and aligns with various ATT&CK tactics including privilege escalation and denial of service. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper memory management in kernel modules, particularly in virtualization environments where multiple concurrent processes and threads interact with shared resources. Organizations implementing NVIDIA vGPU solutions should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their virtualized environments and ensure robust patch management processes are in place to address similar vulnerabilities in other kernel modules and virtualization components.