CVE-2026-47527 in GeForce
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the firmware where an attacker could cause an out-of-bounds read. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to code execution, denial of service, escalation of privileges, information disclosure, and data tampering.
Be aware that VulDB is the high quality source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux operating systems, specifically affecting the firmware components that manage hardware interactions and display output processing. This flaw is characterized as an out-of-bounds read condition, which occurs when the software attempts to access memory locations beyond the intended boundaries of a buffer or data structure. In the context of graphics drivers and GPU firmware, such errors often arise from improper validation of input parameters related to frame buffers, texture mappings, or command stream processing. When the driver processes maliciously crafted graphical commands or display configurations, it may fail to verify that requested memory addresses are within valid limits, leading to the reading of arbitrary memory contents. This type of flaw is a classic example of CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities where software reads data past the end or before the beginning of the intended buffer.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for exploitation by local attackers who have access to the system's graphics subsystem. A successful exploit can lead to multiple critical security outcomes. First, it enables information disclosure, as the attacker can read sensitive data from kernel memory or other processes that reside in adjacent memory spaces, potentially exposing cryptographic keys, user credentials, or proprietary application data. Second, under specific conditions and with additional exploitation techniques such as heap spraying or use-after-free scenarios, this out-of-bounds read can serve as a primitive for arbitrary code execution. By carefully controlling the data read from invalid memory locations, an attacker might leak pointers to bypass address space layout randomization protections, ultimately leading to remote code execution within the context of the graphics driver process. This aligns with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion, particularly those involving kernel exploitation or driver-based attacks.
Furthermore, the vulnerability poses a significant risk for denial of service conditions. If the out-of-bounds read triggers an exception that is not properly handled by the operating system's fault handler, it can cause the graphics driver to crash, resulting in a blue screen on Windows systems or a display server failure on Linux environments like X11 or Wayland. This disruption affects the availability of the graphical interface and any applications relying on GPU acceleration. In more complex scenarios involving data tampering, if the read operation is part of a larger sequence that allows for subsequent write operations through related memory corruption flaws, an attacker could modify critical system states or application data, compromising integrity guarantees.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve applying vendor-provided patches and updates to the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver on both Windows and Linux platforms. Organizations should prioritize updating drivers to versions where this firmware-level flaw has been remediated by implementing stricter bounds checking during memory access operations. Additionally, defense-in-depth measures such as enabling kernel patch protection mechanisms like Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard) on Windows or using SELinux/AppArmor profiles for graphics processes can limit the impact of successful exploits. Regular security audits and static analysis tools focused on detecting buffer boundary violations in driver code are also recommended to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced during future development cycles.