CVE-2026-47553 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 unprivileged user could cause an out-of-bounds write. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to code execution, denial of service, escalation of privileges, information disclosure, and data tampering.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the kernel-mode components of the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for both Windows and Linux operating systems. This specific flaw is classified as an out-of-bounds write condition, which represents a critical memory safety violation where software writes data to a memory location outside the intended buffer boundaries. In modern computing architectures, particularly those involving graphics processing units that operate at high performance levels with direct hardware access, such memory corruption issues are severe because they bypass standard user-level security controls. The vulnerability allows an unprivileged local user to trigger this condition through carefully crafted inputs or interactions with the display driver interface. Because the flaw exists in kernel mode, it operates with the highest level of system privileges, effectively granting any process that can invoke the affected driver functions access to modify arbitrary memory addresses within the operating system's core.
The operational impact of exploiting an out-of-bounds write in a kernel-mode driver is profound and multifaceted. A successful exploitation scenario enables an attacker to achieve arbitrary code execution by overwriting critical function pointers or return addresses on the stack, thereby redirecting program flow to malicious shellcode injected into memory. This capability directly facilitates privilege escalation, allowing a low-privilege user account to gain administrative or root-level access to the system. Furthermore, the vulnerability can be leveraged for denial of service conditions by corrupting kernel data structures essential for system stability, leading to system crashes and hardware lockups that disrupt availability. Information disclosure is also possible if the out-of-bounds write allows an attacker to read adjacent memory regions containing sensitive keys or credentials stored in kernel space. Additionally, data tampering can occur as attackers modify critical system files or configuration parameters without authorization, compromising the integrity of the entire computing environment.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write, which is categorized under CWE-120: Buffer Overflow in Common Weakness Enumeration standards. The attack vector typically involves local interaction where an attacker must have valid user credentials and access to the system before initiating the exploit, placing it within the Local category of the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Specifically, techniques such as T1055: Process Injection or T1068: Exploitation for Privilege Escalation are relevant when analyzing how an attacker might leverage this memory corruption flaw to gain higher-level access. The presence of a kernel-mode driver vulnerability significantly lowers the barrier for exploitation compared to user-space vulnerabilities, as it provides direct pathways to manipulate hardware state and bypass sandboxing mechanisms designed to isolate applications from the operating system core.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. The primary defense is the timely application of vendor-provided driver updates that patch the specific memory handling routines responsible for the boundary check failure. System administrators should enforce strict update policies to ensure all endpoints running NVIDIA hardware are current with the latest security patches. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, implementing Application Control solutions such as Microsoft AppLocker or Windows Defender Application Control can restrict which processes are allowed to load and execute unsigned drivers or specific driver versions known to be vulnerable. Additionally, enabling kernel memory protection features like Kernel Patch Protection on Windows systems adds a layer of defense against certain types of code execution attempts by verifying the integrity of critical system structures before they are modified. For Linux environments, ensuring that Secure Boot is enabled can prevent unauthorized modifications to the boot process and loaded modules, thereby reducing the attack surface available for exploiting kernel vulnerabilities. Regular auditing of driver installations and monitoring for anomalous behavior in kernel logs can also aid in early detection of exploitation attempts targeting this class of memory corruption flaws.