CVE-2026-47600 in GeForce
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer where an error-handling path could operate on an improperly initialized resource. 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 identified vulnerability resides within the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for both Windows and Linux operating systems, specifically affecting the kernel mode layer where direct hardware access and high-privilege operations are executed. This architectural position means that any flaw in this component can have profound implications for system stability and security, as the driver operates with significant authority over the underlying graphics processing unit and associated memory structures. The core technical issue is an improper initialization of a resource within a specific error-handling path. In complex software systems like display drivers, error handling routines are critical for maintaining state consistency when unexpected conditions arise during execution. However, in this instance, the code fails to properly initialize certain data structures or pointers before they are accessed or manipulated if an error condition is triggered. This oversight creates a window of opportunity where the driver attempts to operate on memory that has not been correctly set up, leading to undefined behavior within the kernel space.
From a technical perspective, this flaw aligns with CWE-908, which describes the use of uninitialized resource, and potentially CWE-362 for concurrent execution using shared resources if race conditions are involved in triggering the error path. The lack of proper initialization means that the driver may read from or write to arbitrary memory locations depending on what data previously occupied those memory addresses. This ambiguity allows an attacker who can trigger this specific error condition, such as through a maliciously crafted graphics command sequence or display configuration request, to manipulate the flow of execution within the kernel mode driver. Because the vulnerability exists in kernel space, it bypasses many user-mode security protections that are designed to isolate applications from critical system components.
The operational impact of exploiting this vulnerability is severe and multifaceted. A successful exploit could lead to arbitrary code execution with kernel-level privileges, effectively granting an attacker full control over the affected system. This escalation of privilege allows the adversary to bypass operating system security mechanisms such as User Account Control on Windows or SELinux/AppArmor policies on Linux. Furthermore, the vulnerability can be leveraged for denial of service attacks by causing the kernel to crash due to invalid memory access, resulting in a complete loss of availability for the graphics subsystem and potentially the entire host machine. Additionally, information disclosure is possible if the uninitialized resource allows reading sensitive data from adjacent memory regions, while data tampering could occur through unauthorized writes that corrupt system state or application data.
This vulnerability maps directly to MITRE ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion within local environments. Specifically, it facilitates lateral movement by allowing an attacker who has gained initial foothold in a user-level context to escalate their privileges to the highest level of authority on the machine. The exploitation vector typically requires local access or the ability to send specific commands to the GPU driver interface, which may be accessible through web browsers if hardware acceleration is enabled and sandboxing mechanisms are insufficiently robust against kernel exploits.
Mitigation strategies primarily involve applying vendor-provided patches that correct the initialization logic within the error-handling paths of the display driver. Organizations should prioritize updating NVIDIA drivers on all endpoints to ensure these code-level fixes are deployed. In environments where immediate patching is not feasible, implementing strict application whitelisting and restricting user privileges can reduce the attack surface by limiting who can interact with low-level hardware interfaces. Additionally, enabling kernel memory protection features such as Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard) on Windows or KASLR combined with stack protectors on Linux can mitigate some aspects of exploitation by making it more difficult to reliably execute arbitrary code in kernel space, although they do not prevent the vulnerability itself from occurring. Regular monitoring for anomalous driver behavior and ensuring that graphics acceleration settings are configured according to security best practices further reduces risk exposure.