CVE-2023-25523 in CUDA Toolkit
Summary
by MITRE • 07/04/2023
NVIDIA CUDA toolkit for Linux and Windows contains a vulnerability in the nvdisasm binary file, where an attacker may cause a NULL pointer dereference by providing a user with a malformed ELF file. A successful exploit of this vulnerability may lead to a partial denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/04/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-25523 affects the NVIDIA CUDA toolkit across both Linux and Windows operating systems, specifically targeting the nvdisasm binary component. This tool serves as a disassembler for NVIDIA GPU binaries and is commonly used by developers and security researchers for analyzing compiled CUDA code. The flaw manifests within the handling of ELF (Executable and Linkable Format) files, which are standard binary formats used across Unix-like systems and Windows environments for executables, object code, and shared libraries. When processing malformed ELF files, the nvdisasm utility fails to properly validate input structures, leading to a critical programming error that can compromise system stability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from a NULL pointer dereference condition that occurs when the nvdisasm binary attempts to process corrupted or improperly formatted ELF headers. This type of error represents a classic software bug pattern that falls under CWE-476, which specifically addresses NULL pointer dereference issues in software development. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered through user-controlled input, making it susceptible to exploitation via malicious file delivery or manipulation. When the disassembler encounters a malformed ELF structure, it attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized, resulting in an unexpected program termination and system instability.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates a partial denial of service condition that significantly impacts the usability of the CUDA toolkit environment. While the exploit does not appear to enable arbitrary code execution or privilege escalation, it effectively prevents legitimate users from utilizing the nvdisasm functionality when encountering malformed files. This disruption can cascade through development workflows, particularly in environments where automated tools rely on disassembly capabilities for code analysis, debugging, or reverse engineering processes. The impact extends beyond simple functionality loss as developers may experience unexpected tool failures during critical development phases, potentially leading to project delays and increased debugging overhead.
The security implications of CVE-2023-25523 align with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, which covers network denial of service attacks through resource exhaustion or corruption. Although this particular vulnerability results from a local input processing error rather than network-based attack vectors, it demonstrates the broader principle that software components must properly validate all input to prevent system instability. Organizations utilizing NVIDIA CUDA toolkits in production environments should implement immediate mitigation strategies including input validation of ELF files, regular security updates from NVIDIA, and monitoring for suspicious file processing activities. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of robust software testing practices and input sanitization, particularly for tools that process binary formats and are integral to development workflows.
Mitigation approaches should focus on both immediate defensive measures and long-term architectural improvements. Users should ensure they are running the latest NVIDIA CUDA toolkit releases that contain patches addressing this vulnerability, as well as implementing file validation mechanisms before processing unknown ELF content. Security teams should consider monitoring for abnormal nvdisasm behavior patterns and establishing procedures for handling potentially malicious input files. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of proper error handling and input validation in security-sensitive applications, particularly those that process binary data formats. Organizations should also review their development practices to ensure that similar issues are not present in other components of their software supply chain, as this type of NULL pointer dereference can represent a broader class of memory safety vulnerabilities that require systematic attention.