CVE-2026-45201 in Graphics DDK
Summary
by MITRE • 08/21/2026
Software installed and run as a non-privileged user may conduct improper GPU system calls to pass invalid log2 page size when allocating physical pages leading to OOB read and/or write due to improper validation of the said value.
Such crafted log2 page size could lead to 4K pages being treated as higher order pages and allowing read and/or write access to the memory beyond 4K threshold.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2026
The vulnerability described involves a critical flaw in the handling of GPU system calls within software that operates under non-privileged user contexts. Specifically, the issue arises during the allocation of physical pages where an invalid log2 page size value is passed as part of the request parameters. In computing systems, particularly those involving graphics processing units and memory management units, the concept of page sizes is fundamental to how virtual addresses are mapped to physical memory locations. The term log2 page size refers to the base-2 logarithm of the actual page size in bytes; for instance, a standard 4KB page corresponds to a log2 value of twelve because two raised to the power of twelve equals four thousand ninety-six. When this parameter is not rigorously validated before being processed by the kernel or driver-level components responsible for memory allocation, it creates an opportunity for attackers to manipulate how much contiguous physical memory is reserved and accessed.
The core technical flaw lies in the improper validation logic that fails to ensure the provided log2 page size falls within acceptable bounds defined by the system architecture. By supplying a crafted value significantly higher than what corresponds to standard 4KB pages, such as values representing larger page sizes like two megabytes or even one gigabyte depending on hardware support, an attacker can trick the memory management subsystem into treating small allocations as large contiguous blocks. This misinterpretation leads directly to out-of-bounds read and write operations because the system allocates resources based on the inflated size expectation but may not correctly enforce access controls for the actual underlying physical pages involved in smaller granular accesses. Consequently, processes can inadvertently or maliciously access memory regions that lie beyond their intended 4KB boundary threshold, violating isolation principles essential to multi-user operating environments.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses severe risks including information disclosure and potential code execution. An out-of-bounds read allows unauthorized entities to extract sensitive data from adjacent memory spaces which might contain credentials, encryption keys, or other proprietary information belonging to privileged processes or the kernel itself. Conversely, an out-of-bounds write enables attackers to corrupt arbitrary memory locations, potentially overwriting function pointers, return addresses, or critical system structures. This capability effectively bypasses standard user-space restrictions and can lead to privilege escalation if exploited in conjunction with other vulnerabilities or through careful manipulation of heap metadata. The ability to read and write beyond allocated boundaries undermines the integrity and confidentiality guarantees provided by modern operating systems, making this a high-severity issue that requires immediate attention from developers and system administrators alike.
This type of memory corruption vulnerability aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration categories such as CWE-125 Out-of-bounds Read and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write. These classifications highlight the fundamental failure in boundary checking mechanisms which are critical for preventing buffer overflows and related exploits. Furthermore, from a tactical standpoint within frameworks like MITRE ATT&CK this behavior relates to techniques involving memory manipulation and potentially privilege escalation via local exploitation paths. Attackers leveraging such flaws often aim to establish persistence or escalate privileges by exploiting these low-level memory access violations before higher-level security controls can detect anomalous behavior.
Mitigation strategies must focus on strengthening input validation at the point where GPU system calls are processed. Developers should implement strict range checks for all parameters related to page size allocation ensuring that only valid log2 values corresponding to supported hardware page sizes are accepted. Additionally employing defensive programming practices such as using safe libraries and enforcing memory protection mechanisms like Address Space Layout Randomization can help mitigate exploitation attempts even if the vulnerability exists in code. Regular security audits focusing on kernel-mode drivers and GPU subsystems will also aid in identifying similar flaws before they reach production environments. Updating to patched versions of affected software whenever available remains the most effective immediate countermeasure against active threats exploiting this specific memory handling defect.