CVE-2026-47558 in GeForce
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer where an unprivileged user could cause a double-free of imported memory state. 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 NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Linux contains a critical security flaw within its kernel-mode components that affects the management of imported memory states. This vulnerability arises from an improper handling mechanism where resources are not correctly tracked or released after being utilized by unprivileged user-space processes. Specifically, the defect allows for a double-free condition when dealing with memory objects that have been imported into the driver's context. In operating system kernels, proper lifecycle management of allocated memory is paramount to maintaining stability and security. When an object is freed more than once, it indicates a failure in reference counting or state tracking logic, which can corrupt internal data structures maintained by the kernel. This specific flaw exists in the layer responsible for interfacing with hardware-accelerated display functions, meaning that any user account on the system capable of initiating GPU operations could potentially trigger this condition without requiring elevated privileges initially.
The operational impact of exploiting this double-free vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. Because the corruption occurs within kernel space, it undermines the fundamental isolation boundaries between user applications and the operating system core. An attacker who successfully exploits this flaw can achieve arbitrary code execution with the highest level of privilege available to the kernel process. This effectively grants full control over the underlying hardware and software stack. Beyond remote or local code execution, the vulnerability also facilitates denial of service conditions by crashing the graphics subsystem or the entire operating system due to memory corruption. Furthermore, it enables escalation of privileges from a standard user account to root-level access, allowing persistent backdoors or lateral movement within compromised networks. Information disclosure is another significant risk, as corrupted memory structures may leak sensitive kernel data to unprivileged users. Data tampering capabilities also emerge, potentially altering critical system configurations or application states stored in protected memory regions.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-415, which describes Double Free vulnerabilities where an object is freed more than once leading to heap corruption and potential code execution. It also relates closely to CWE-787, as the out-of-bounds write resulting from double-free can overwrite adjacent memory structures including function pointers or vtables used for polymorphic dispatch in kernel objects. In terms of adversary tactics, this flaw supports ATT&CK technique T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and potentially T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter if the exploit chain leads to shell access. The attack vector is classified as Local (T1059) with Low Complexity because it requires physical or logical access to a user account on the target system, but no special conditions are needed beyond triggering the specific GPU memory import operation sequence that triggers the bug.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying vendor-provided patches and updates to the NVIDIA display driver software stack immediately upon release. System administrators should ensure that all workstations and servers running affected versions of the Linux distribution with NVIDIA drivers are updated to include fixes addressing kernel-mode memory management errors. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, restricting access to GPU resources through strict user group policies can reduce the attack surface by limiting which accounts can initiate operations involving imported memory states. Additionally enabling mandatory access control frameworks such as SELinux or AppArmor with restrictive profiles for graphics-related binaries may help contain potential exploitation attempts by limiting the scope of actions a compromised process can perform within kernel space. Regular auditing of system logs for unusual GPU driver behavior and monitoring for signs of privilege escalation attempts are also recommended defensive measures to detect any attempted exploitation activities before they result in full compromise.