CVE-2026-47597 in GeForce RTX Quadro NVS Tesla Guest driver
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the open-source kernel module Resource Server where an unprivileged local user could cause a use-after-free through a missing self-reference guard in the map cleanup path. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might 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
The NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for both Windows and Linux operating systems contains a critical security flaw within its open-source kernel module known as the Resource Server. This component is responsible for managing graphics resources and handling interactions between user-space applications and the underlying hardware drivers. The specific vulnerability arises from a missing self-reference guard in the map cleanup path, which leads to a use-after-free condition when an unprivileged local user interacts with the driver through standard application programming interfaces or direct memory access mechanisms. This architectural oversight allows for improper handling of resource lifecycles during deallocation processes, creating a window where previously freed memory can be accessed and manipulated by malicious actors before it is properly reclaimed by the system allocator.
From a technical perspective, this vulnerability falls under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-416, which defines use-after-free errors as a class of software vulnerabilities that occur when a program continues to use a pointer after it has been freed. In the context of NVIDIA drivers, the map cleanup path is designed to release memory mappings associated with GPU resources. However, due to the absence of a self-reference guard, the driver fails to verify whether an object is still actively referenced before proceeding with deallocation routines. This logical error permits an attacker who has local access but lacks administrative privileges to trigger this flawed code path repeatedly or in specific sequences that exploit race conditions or state inconsistencies within the kernel memory management subsystem.
The operational impact of successfully exploiting this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted, encompassing arbitrary code execution, privilege escalation, denial of service, information disclosure, and data tampering. An attacker can leverage the use-after-free condition to overwrite adjacent heap structures with controlled data, thereby gaining control over program flow within the kernel space. Since NVIDIA drivers operate at a high level of system trust, achieving code execution in this context typically results in full compromise of the host operating system. This aligns closely with MITRE ATT&CK techniques such as T1055 Process Injection and T1068 Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, where attackers manipulate kernel memory to inject malicious payloads or escalate their access rights from a standard user account to SYSTEM or root level privileges.
Furthermore, the vulnerability enables denial of service by causing system crashes or driver hangs when corrupted pointers lead to invalid memory accesses that trigger kernel panics or watchdog timeouts. Information disclosure is also possible if the attacker can read stale data from the freed memory regions before they are overwritten, potentially exposing sensitive cryptographic keys, user credentials, or proprietary application data stored in GPU buffers. Data tampering becomes feasible as well, allowing attackers to modify graphics output or interfere with computational tasks performed by the GPU, compromising the integrity of applications relying on accurate graphical or parallel processing results.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve applying vendor-provided security patches that update the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver and its associated kernel modules to versions where the self-reference guard has been implemented in the map cleanup path. System administrators should ensure that all workstations and servers running affected drivers are updated promptly through official NVIDIA channels or enterprise management tools. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, restricting local user access to non-essential applications and disabling unnecessary GPU compute capabilities can reduce the attack surface. Additionally, implementing strict application whitelisting policies and monitoring for unusual kernel-level activity using endpoint detection and response solutions can help detect exploitation attempts in real time. Regular security audits of driver configurations and adherence to least privilege principles remain essential defenses against this class of memory corruption vulnerabilities.