CVE-2026-47580 in GPU Display Driver
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows contains a vulnerability in the kernel module where an attacker could cause a missing authorization issue. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to information disclosure and data tampering.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The identified vulnerability resides within the NVIDIA Graphics Processing Unit display driver for Microsoft Windows, specifically affecting the kernel-mode components that manage hardware acceleration and display output functions. This flaw is characterized by a missing authorization check, which represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms designed to restrict operations based on user privileges or process identity. In modern operating systems like Windows, kernel modules operate with high-level system permissions, allowing them direct interaction with hardware resources and memory spaces that are otherwise inaccessible to standard applications. When the driver fails to properly validate whether an incoming request originates from a trusted source or possesses the necessary administrative rights, it creates a pathway for unauthorized entities to execute privileged commands within the kernel context.
From a technical perspective, this missing authorization issue likely stems from insufficient validation of input parameters or session tokens before processing sensitive operations related to display rendering or GPU memory management. An attacker who has achieved local code execution on the target system can leverage this flaw by crafting specific IOCTL requests or API calls that bypass standard security checks. Because the vulnerability exists in kernel space, a successful exploitation does not merely result in elevated privileges for the attacking process but allows direct manipulation of low-level system structures. This capability enables the attacker to read protected memory regions containing sensitive data from other processes or the operating system itself, leading to significant information disclosure. Furthermore, the ability to write to these restricted areas facilitates data tampering, where an adversary can alter critical system files, inject malicious code into legitimate processes, or corrupt driver state to cause instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe due to its potential for privilege escalation and lateral movement within a compromised network environment. Information disclosure allows attackers to harvest credentials, encryption keys, or proprietary data stored in memory by other applications running on the same machine. Data tampering capabilities enable more sophisticated attacks such as rootkit installation, persistence mechanism deployment, or disruption of critical services that rely on stable GPU performance. In enterprise environments where NVIDIA drivers are ubiquitous for both productivity and high-performance computing tasks, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to overall system integrity. Attackers can use the gained kernel-level access to disable security software, evade detection mechanisms, and establish a foothold that is difficult to remediate without a full system reinstall or driver update.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve applying vendor-provided patches as soon as they become available through NVIDIA’s official support channels. Organizations should prioritize updating all workstations and servers running affected versions of the display driver to ensure the authorization checks are properly enforced. In addition to patching, implementing strict application control policies can limit which processes are allowed to interact with GPU drivers, thereby reducing the attack surface for local privilege escalation attempts. Monitoring system logs for unusual IOCTL calls or kernel-mode activity anomalies can also aid in early detection of exploitation attempts. Adhering to industry standards such as CWE-269 Improper Privilege Management and recognizing this threat vector within the MITRE ATT&CK framework under techniques like T1055 Process Injection or T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation helps security teams categorize and respond to similar vulnerabilities systematically.