CVE-2026-47579 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
The NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode driver through which a user might trigger a use-after-free condition. Successful exploitation of this issue could lead to code execution, escalation of privileges, denial of service, information disclosure, and data tampering.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
This vulnerability resides within the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows, specifically affecting the kernel mode driver component that manages hardware acceleration and display output functions. The core technical flaw is a use-after-free condition, which occurs when the software continues to reference memory after it has been freed or deallocated by the system. In the context of kernel-mode drivers, this error is particularly severe because these components operate with high-level privileges directly interacting with the operating system's core structures and hardware resources. When an application or user triggers a sequence that leads to premature memory release followed by subsequent access attempts, the driver may read from or write to invalid memory addresses. This mismanagement of dynamic memory allocation creates a critical instability in the execution flow, allowing for arbitrary code execution if the attacker can control the data written into the freed memory region before it is reallocated for another purpose.
The operational impact of exploiting this vulnerability extends far beyond simple application crashes. Because the flaw exists within kernel mode, successful exploitation grants an attacker full control over the affected system with SYSTEM-level privileges. This effectively bypasses standard user account controls and security boundaries, leading to a complete compromise of host integrity. An adversary could install malicious software, view, change, or delete any data on the target system, or create new accounts with full administrative rights. Furthermore, the vulnerability can be leveraged for denial-of-service attacks by causing critical driver failures that crash the entire operating system, rendering the hardware unusable until a reboot occurs. Information disclosure is also possible if the attacker reads sensitive kernel memory contents during the window between deallocation and reallocation, potentially exposing cryptographic keys or other confidential data stored in RAM.
From a threat modeling perspective, this vulnerability aligns with Common Weakness Enumeration identifier CWE-416, which defines use-after-free errors as a distinct category of software defects leading to undefined behavior and potential exploitation. The attack vector typically involves local execution, meaning an attacker must first gain access to the system or trick a privileged user into running malicious code that interacts with the GPU driver APIs. This maps closely to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation via kernel exploits, such as T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation and potentially T1203 Exploitation for Client Execution if delivered through a compromised application. The severity is heightened by the ubiquity of NVIDIA drivers in enterprise environments, making this a high-value target for lateral movement within internal networks after initial perimeter breach.
Mitigation strategies primarily focus on timely patching and configuration hardening. Organizations should immediately apply vendor-provided driver updates that address the memory management logic errors responsible for the use-after-free condition. Since kernel-mode vulnerabilities often require specific trigger conditions, implementing application whitelisting policies can restrict which programs are allowed to interact with low-level hardware drivers, thereby reducing the attack surface. Additionally, enabling advanced security features such as Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard) on Windows systems adds a layer of defense against unauthorized modifications to critical kernel structures, although it does not prevent all forms of exploitation. Regular vulnerability scanning and monitoring for anomalous driver behavior can also aid in detecting attempted exploits before they result in full system compromise.