CVE-2026-47602 in GeForce
Summary
by MITRE • 09/30/2026
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode driver where a local user can cause the driver to dereference an untrusted pointer. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to denial of service and information disclosure.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/30/2026
The NVIDIA Graphics Kernel Mode Driver, which operates at ring 0 with high privileges on both Windows and Linux operating systems, contains a critical memory safety flaw that allows for the dereferencing of untrusted pointers by local users. This vulnerability stems from insufficient validation checks within the driver's codebase, specifically in how it handles input parameters or data structures passed from user-mode applications to kernel-space routines. When a malicious actor with local access executes specially crafted software, they can manipulate these inputs to point to memory locations that are not intended for such access. Because the kernel mode driver operates with elevated privileges, this improper pointer dereference bypasses standard operating system security boundaries, allowing an attacker to read from or write to arbitrary physical and virtual memory addresses under certain conditions.
The operational impact of exploiting this flaw is significant, primarily manifesting as a denial of service against the host system. By triggering invalid memory accesses, an attacker can cause the graphics driver to crash, leading to immediate system instability, blue screens on Windows systems, or kernel panics on Linux distributions. This effectively disrupts all graphical operations and potentially halts other critical services that depend on stable hardware interaction. Beyond simple disruption, the vulnerability poses a severe risk of information disclosure. The ability to dereference arbitrary pointers can allow an attacker to read sensitive data from memory spaces belonging to other processes or even kernel structures themselves. This could result in the leakage of cryptographic keys, session tokens, passwords, or proprietary application logic stored in RAM, compromising the confidentiality and integrity of the entire system environment.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer, specifically relating to out-of-bounds read operations due to insufficient validation of user-supplied data. In terms of offensive security frameworks such as MITRE ATT&CK, this flaw facilitates techniques associated with Privilege Escalation and Defense Evasion on both Windows (T1068) and Linux (T1055). The exploitation path typically involves local code execution leading to kernel-level access, which is a common vector for lateral movement or persistence in compromised environments.
Mitigation strategies must focus on immediate patching and operational hardening. NVIDIA has released updated driver versions that include fixes for this memory safety issue; administrators should prioritize the deployment of these patches across all affected endpoints running Windows and Linux operating systems. In addition to software updates, organizations should enforce strict local user access controls to minimize the attack surface available to potential exploiters. Implementing application whitelisting can prevent unauthorized or untrusted binaries from executing on workstations equipped with NVIDIA GPUs. Furthermore, enabling kernel memory protection features such as Kernel Patch Protection (PatchGuard) on Windows and KASLR combined with stack protectors on Linux adds layers of defense that make exploitation more difficult by randomizing code locations and detecting stack corruption attempts. Regular auditing of driver versions and monitoring for unusual system crashes or performance anomalies can also aid in early detection of potential exploitation activities.