CVE-2026-47571 in GeForce
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows contains a vulnerability in kernel-mode escape handling where an attacker with local access could bypass an authorization check that is intended to restrict certain operations based on client execution context. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to escalation of privilege, information disclosure, data tampering, denial of service, or code execution.
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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 Windows, specifically affecting the handling of escape functions that facilitate communication between user-space applications and the driver's kernel-space routines. In a typical operating system architecture, such as Microsoft Windows, there is a strict boundary separating non-privileged user mode from privileged kernel mode to maintain system stability and security. Kernel-mode escapes are specialized IOCTLs or function calls that allow legitimate drivers to perform high-level operations on hardware resources. However, this vulnerability stems from an insufficient validation of the execution context associated with these escape requests. When a local attacker invokes such an operation, the driver fails to adequately verify whether the calling process possesses the necessary privileges or belongs to the expected security context before proceeding with sensitive actions. This oversight effectively bypasses authorization checks that are designed to restrict certain operations based on client identity and privilege level, allowing unauthorized entities to interact directly with kernel-level resources intended for trusted processes only.
From a technical perspective, this flaw represents a classic failure in access control enforcement within the driver's input validation logic. The attacker leverages their existing local account privileges to craft specific requests that exploit the gap in context verification. Because the vulnerability operates at the kernel level, successful exploitation grants the attacker capabilities far beyond those of a standard user account. This can result in an escalation of privilege, where the malicious process obtains SYSTEM-level or equivalent high-privilege access to the operating system. Such elevation allows the attacker to modify critical system files, install persistent malware with deep rootkit-like characteristics, and manipulate security settings without detection by standard endpoint protection mechanisms that rely on user-mode boundaries for threat assessment.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for multiple attack vectors beyond simple privilege escalation. An adversary could exploit the unrestricted access to kernel memory to perform information disclosure, reading sensitive data from other processes or system structures such as credential hashes and encryption keys stored in volatile memory. Furthermore, the ability to tamper with data at the driver level means that an attacker can alter graphics output, corrupt saved game states, or modify configuration files associated with GPU settings, leading to integrity violations. In scenarios where stability is compromised by malformed requests sent through these unchecked escapes, the system may experience a denial of service, resulting in blue screen errors (BSOD) or complete system crashes, disrupting availability for all users on the machine. Additionally, if the driver allows execution of arbitrary code within its kernel context due to improper handling of function pointers or memory allocations during escape processing, it could lead directly to remote code execution capabilities when combined with other local exploits.
This vulnerability aligns closely with CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Management, as well as CWE-732, concerning Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. The exploitation technique maps to MITRE ATT&CK techniques such as T1055, Process Injection, and specifically T1055.014, Kernel Module Injection or Hooking, since kernel drivers are often targeted for persistence and stealthy execution. It also relates to T1068, Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, highlighting the pathway from local user access to full system control. The lack of proper context verification is a fundamental security anti-pattern in driver development that undermines the trust model upon which modern operating systems are built.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve applying vendor-provided patches and updates released by NVIDIA to address the specific logic flaws in the escape handling routines. System administrators should ensure that all GPU drivers on production endpoints are updated to versions where this authorization check has been hardened. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, restricting local administrative privileges can reduce the attack surface, as only users with elevated rights might be able to trigger certain high-level driver operations depending on specific implementation details. Additionally, deploying endpoint detection and response solutions that monitor for anomalous kernel-mode activity or unexpected driver behavior can help detect exploitation attempts in real-time. Regular auditing of installed drivers and disabling unnecessary GPU features if not required by the workload can further minimize potential exposure vectors associated with complex driver architectures.