CVE-2026-47492 in GeForce
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer, where an attacker can cause improper access control. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The identified security flaw resides within the kernel-mode components of the NVIDIA GPU display driver software available for both Windows and Linux operating systems. This specific weakness is characterized by a failure in implementing proper access controls, which allows an unauthorized actor to interact with sensitive system resources or execute operations that should be restricted. In modern computing architectures, particularly those involving hardware acceleration through Graphics Processing Units, the boundary between user-space applications and kernel-mode drivers is critical for maintaining system stability and security. When this boundary is compromised due to insufficient validation of access rights, it creates a pathway for malicious actors to disrupt normal system functions or potentially escalate privileges if other conditions are met.
From a technical perspective, improper access control vulnerabilities typically arise when the software fails to correctly verify whether an entity has permission to perform a specific action on a given resource. In the context of GPU drivers, this might involve manipulating memory allocations, accessing restricted hardware registers, or triggering race conditions during device initialization or state transitions. The kernel mode layer operates with high privileges, meaning that any lapse in security checks can have significant consequences. While the primary reported impact is denial of service, such flaws often serve as a precursor to more severe exploits if additional vulnerabilities exist within the same codebase. The lack of rigorous permission verification allows an attacker to send crafted requests or inputs that bypass intended restrictions, leading to unstable driver states or system crashes.
The operational impact of this vulnerability centers on availability and reliability. A successful exploitation attempt can result in a denial of service condition, where the affected system becomes unresponsive or requires a reboot to restore functionality. For end-users, this manifests as screen freezes, graphical artifacts, or complete system hangs during GPU-intensive tasks such as gaming, video rendering, or machine learning computations. In enterprise environments running Linux-based workstations or servers with NVIDIA hardware, this could disrupt critical workflows and lead to downtime for applications relying on accelerated computing capabilities. The severity is further amplified by the fact that kernel-mode exploits can potentially be chained with other local vulnerabilities to achieve arbitrary code execution, although the current assessment highlights denial of service as the primary risk vector.
This vulnerability aligns closely with Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE) category CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Management, and specifically relates to issues where access control decisions are not enforced correctly. It also maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques involving local privilege escalation or resource hijacking, depending on the specific exploitation method employed by an adversary. Security researchers often classify such driver-level flaws under kernel security misconfigurations that undermine the isolation mechanisms designed to protect operating system integrity from user-space applications.
To mitigate this risk, it is imperative for organizations and individual users to apply vendor-provided patches as soon as they become available. NVIDIA has released updates addressing these access control deficiencies in subsequent versions of their display drivers. Administrators should prioritize updating GPU driver software on all affected systems to ensure that the latest security fixes are implemented. Additionally, implementing strict application whitelisting policies can reduce the attack surface by preventing unauthorized or untrusted applications from interacting with the GPU driver interface. Regular monitoring for unusual system behavior, such as frequent crashes during graphics operations, can also help in early detection of potential exploitation attempts before they cause significant operational disruption.