CVE-2025-23277 in GPU Display Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 08/03/2025
NVIDIA Display Driver for Linux and Windows contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode driver, where an attacker could access memory outside bounds permitted under normal use cases. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to denial of service, data tampering, or information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-23277 resides within the NVIDIA Display Driver ecosystem affecting both Linux and Windows operating systems through its kernel mode driver component. This flaw represents a critical security weakness that stems from improper memory access controls within the graphics driver's kernel space implementation. The vulnerability manifests when the driver fails to properly validate memory boundaries during graphics processing operations, creating potential pathways for unauthorized memory access patterns that extend beyond normal operational parameters.
This memory access violation constitutes a classic buffer over-read or out-of-bounds access scenario that aligns with CWE-125, which specifically addresses out-of-bounds read conditions in software implementations. The flaw occurs at the kernel mode driver level where graphics processing commands are executed with elevated privileges, making the potential attack surface particularly dangerous as it operates within the most privileged execution context of the operating system. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could leverage the kernel mode access to manipulate memory contents, potentially gaining insights into sensitive data structures or system memory layouts that should remain protected.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to encompass more serious security implications including data tampering and information disclosure. When an attacker successfully exploits the memory access violation, they may be able to read data from memory locations that should normally be inaccessible, potentially exposing confidential information stored in system memory. This capability could enable adversaries to extract sensitive data such as encryption keys, user credentials, or other protected information that resides in memory during graphics processing operations. The vulnerability's potential for information disclosure directly aligns with ATT&CK technique T1005, which covers data from local system storage.
The denial of service aspect of this vulnerability represents another significant concern as the out-of-bounds memory access could cause the graphics driver to crash or become unstable, leading to system-wide graphical dysfunction or complete system hangs. Such instability could be exploited by attackers to create persistent denial of service conditions that degrade system performance or render the system unusable. The kernel mode nature of the vulnerability means that exploitation could potentially lead to system-wide instability, as the graphics driver's kernel components interact closely with core operating system functions and memory management subsystems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-23277 should prioritize immediate driver updates from NVIDIA as the primary defense mechanism, since this vulnerability affects the fundamental kernel mode driver components that handle graphics processing. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring for unusual graphics driver behavior or memory access patterns that could indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help limit the potential impact if exploitation occurs, though the kernel mode nature of the vulnerability means that complete protection requires driver-level patches. The vulnerability's classification as a kernel mode memory access flaw places it within the high-risk category of security issues that require immediate attention and remediation to prevent potential exploitation for more sophisticated attacks such as privilege escalation or persistent system compromise.