CVE-2026-47585 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows contains a vulnerability in the kernel module where an attacker could cause an integer underflow. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to code execution, denial of service, escalation of privileges, information disclosure, and data tampering.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows presents a critical security risk due to a flaw located within its kernel-mode components. This specific vulnerability stems from an integer underflow condition that occurs during the processing of certain display-related operations or memory allocation requests handled by the driver's internal logic. In software engineering, particularly in systems programming and operating system kernels, proper bounds checking is essential to ensure that arithmetic operations do not result in values outside their expected range. When an integer underflow occurs, it typically means a subtraction operation has resulted in a value smaller than the minimum representable number for that data type, often wrapping around to a very large positive number if unsigned integers are involved, or causing undefined behavior if signed integers are used without proper safeguards. This mathematical error disrupts the driver's ability to correctly calculate buffer sizes, array indices, or memory offsets, leading to subsequent logic errors in how resources are managed and accessed within the privileged kernel space of the Windows operating system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe because it resides in a component that runs with high privileges as part of the core graphics subsystem. An attacker who can trigger this integer underflow through crafted input or specific sequence of API calls may achieve arbitrary code execution on the target machine. This capability allows for full compromise of the system, enabling the installation of malware, exfiltration of sensitive data, and establishment of persistent backdoors. Furthermore, even if direct code execution is not achieved, the vulnerability can be leveraged to cause a denial of service by crashing the graphics driver or the entire operating system kernel, resulting in system instability and loss of productivity. The flaw also facilitates privilege escalation, allowing an unprivileged user process to gain administrative rights by exploiting the miscalculated memory accesses to overwrite critical kernel structures. Additionally, improper handling of these underflow conditions can lead to information disclosure, where sensitive data from adjacent memory regions is exposed, or data tampering, where system configurations and stored credentials are altered maliciously.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-191, which defines integer underflow wraparound or subtraction errors, often occurring in contexts involving pointer arithmetic or buffer size calculations. The attack vector typically involves local exploitation, meaning the attacker must have some level of access to the system, such as through a compromised user account or via remote code execution that leads to local privilege escalation paths. In terms of adversary tactics and techniques, this flaw supports ATT&CK technique T1055, which covers process injection and memory manipulation within Windows environments, specifically under sub-techniques related to kernel-level modifications like T1068 for exploitation of privileged services or APIs. The presence of such a vulnerability in widely deployed GPU drivers highlights the risk associated with third-party kernel modules that interact deeply with hardware resources and operating system internals.
Mitigation strategies must focus on both immediate remediation and long-term architectural improvements. Users should immediately apply the latest security patches provided by NVIDIA, which address this integer underflow through rigorous input validation and corrected arithmetic logic within the driver's source code. System administrators should ensure that automatic updates are enabled for graphics drivers to minimize exposure windows. For environments where updating is not immediately feasible, restricting user privileges to prevent execution of untrusted software can reduce the attack surface. Additionally, deploying endpoint detection and response solutions capable of monitoring kernel-mode activity may help detect attempts to exploit this vulnerability in real time. Developers contributing to or maintaining similar low-level drivers should adopt secure coding practices that include static analysis tools designed to catch integer overflow and underflow issues early in the development lifecycle, ensuring that all arithmetic operations involving sizes, indices, and offsets are validated against expected bounds before execution.