CVE-2026-47572 in GPU Display Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer where a user could cause type confusion. 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 presents a critical security risk due to a flaw located within the kernel mode layer of its software architecture. This specific vulnerability is categorized as a type confusion error, which represents a severe class of memory safety issues where an object or variable is treated as a different data type than it actually is during execution. In the context of operating system kernels, such errors are particularly dangerous because they allow for arbitrary manipulation of memory structures that govern hardware access and process isolation. The root cause typically involves improper validation of input parameters or incorrect casting logic within the driver's internal routines, leading to scenarios where the kernel interprets a pointer or data structure incorrectly. This misinterpretation can result in accessing invalid memory addresses, overwriting critical control flow data, or executing unintended code paths that bypass standard security checks implemented by the operating system.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows any local user with access to the GPU device nodes to potentially trigger the type confusion condition. By crafting specific ioctl calls or submitting malformed commands to the graphics processing unit interface, a malicious actor can exploit the misaligned data types to corrupt kernel memory state. The consequences of such exploitation are extensive and severe. A successful attack could lead to arbitrary code execution within the context of the kernel, which effectively grants the attacker full control over the underlying system hardware and software resources. This level of access enables denial of service conditions by crashing the operating system or destabilizing critical services. Furthermore, it facilitates privilege escalation, allowing a low-privileged user account to gain root-level permissions without authentication. The vulnerability also poses significant risks for information disclosure, as corrupted memory states may expose sensitive kernel data structures containing cryptographic keys, passwords, or other confidential information stored in RAM. Additionally, the ability to write arbitrary values to specific memory locations enables data tampering, potentially altering application behavior or system configurations silently and persistently.
In terms of industry standard classifications, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-843, which defines access to incorrect type via reference conversion, a subset of broader categories like CWE-120 Buffer Copy without Checking Size of Input. The exploitation technique often involves manipulating the object model or pointer semantics within the kernel space, which corresponds to ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion through memory corruption. Attackers may leverage this flaw as part of a larger attack chain to bypass security mechanisms such as SELinux or AppArmor if those protections rely on accurate kernel state integrity. The presence of type confusion in GPU drivers is particularly concerning because GPUs are increasingly integrated into critical infrastructure, including cloud computing environments and high-performance computing clusters where multi-tenant isolation relies heavily on the correctness of these low-level drivers.
Mitigation strategies must focus primarily on applying vendor-provided patches that address the specific memory handling logic within the kernel mode driver. System administrators should prioritize updating NVIDIA GPU display drivers to versions that include fixes for this type confusion issue, ensuring that all systems with affected hardware are brought into compliance with current security baselines. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible due to operational constraints, restricting access to GPU device nodes via strict file system permissions can limit the attack surface by preventing unprivileged users from interacting directly with the vulnerable driver interfaces. Additionally, enabling kernel hardening features such as KASLR and stack protectors may mitigate some exploitation attempts by randomizing memory layouts or detecting stack corruption, although these are defensive measures rather than root cause fixes. Continuous monitoring of system logs for unusual kernel panics or unauthorized privilege changes can also aid in the early detection of potential exploitation activities targeting this vulnerability.