CVE-2024-0079 in vGPU Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 03/28/2024
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer, where a user in a guest VM can cause a NULL-pointer dereference in the host. A successful exploit of this vulnerability may lead to denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2024
This vulnerability exists within the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver kernel mode layer on both Windows and Linux operating systems, representing a critical security flaw that enables privilege escalation through virtual machine environments. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation within the kernel mode driver component that handles GPU display operations, specifically when processing guest virtual machine requests. When a malicious user operates within a guest virtual machine environment, they can manipulate driver calls that ultimately result in a NULL-pointer dereference condition within the host system's kernel mode execution context.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the kernel mode driver failing to properly validate memory references when processing GPU-related commands from virtualized environments. This flaw allows an attacker to craft specific input sequences that cause the driver to attempt to access a NULL memory reference, leading to system instability and potential system crashes. The vulnerability specifically affects the communication channel between virtual machine monitor and host system GPU drivers, where guest operating systems send display commands that are processed by the kernel mode driver without adequate validation of pointers and memory allocations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it represents a potential pathway for more sophisticated attacks within virtualized environments. When a NULL-pointer dereference occurs in kernel mode, the system typically experiences a kernel panic or system crash, resulting in complete service disruption for the affected virtual machine and potentially impacting the host system's stability. This vulnerability particularly concerns virtualization environments where multiple tenants share the same physical hardware, as it could enable one compromised guest to affect the entire host system and other virtual machines running on the same physical infrastructure.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which addresses NULL pointer dereference conditions in software systems, and represents a classic example of improper validation of pointer references in kernel mode code. From an adversarial perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter and T1499.004 for network denial of service, as attackers could leverage this flaw to disrupt virtualized computing environments. The attack vector requires minimal privileges within the guest virtual machine environment, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited by users with limited access rights.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate driver updates from NVIDIA, which typically include memory validation patches and improved pointer handling mechanisms within the kernel mode components. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit guest VM privileges, while also monitoring for unusual system behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing virtual machine isolation techniques and regularly auditing their virtualization environments for similar kernel mode vulnerabilities. The recommended approach involves applying vendor patches immediately upon release, while maintaining comprehensive logging of GPU-related system calls to detect potential exploitation attempts.