CVE-2026-7639 in Graphics DDK
Summary
by MITRE • 07/10/2026
Software installed and run as a non-privileged user may conduct a sequence of improper GPU system calls causing use after free, which helps in facilitating unprivileged memory access from a shader code.
Triggering failure path in the MMU mapping logic by a malicious code could lead to incomplete cleanup of an internal driver state, allowing for future unauthorized access to the contents of the physical memory.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/10/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw in GPU driver implementations that allows non-privileged users to exploit improper memory management during GPU system calls. The issue manifests as a use-after-free condition that occurs when malicious shader code executes sequence of improper GPU system calls, enabling unauthorized memory access patterns that bypass normal privilege boundaries. The vulnerability stems from inadequate validation and cleanup mechanisms within the graphics processing unit's driver subsystem, specifically in how it handles memory allocation and deallocation during MMU mapping operations.
The technical exploitation involves a sophisticated attack vector where an attacker with minimal privileges can manipulate GPU driver state through carefully crafted shader code execution. When the malicious code triggers the failure path in MMU mapping logic, it creates a scenario where internal driver state cleanup becomes incomplete or improper. This leaves behind dangling pointers or stale memory references that can be subsequently accessed by other processes or threads, effectively creating unauthorized pathways to physical memory contents.
From a cybersecurity perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-416 Use After Free and CWE-787 Out-of-bounds Write patterns, representing a classic memory corruption issue that can lead to privilege escalation. The attack model follows ATT&CK technique T1059.007 Command and Scripting Interpreter: JavaScript, though it operates at the kernel level through GPU driver interfaces rather than traditional user-space scripting. The exploitability requires specific conditions including the ability to execute shader code and access GPU driver interfaces, but once successful, provides a persistent backdoor into memory spaces that should be protected from non-privileged access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it creates potential for complete system compromise through memory corruption attacks. An attacker could leverage this flaw to extract sensitive data from GPU memory, inject malicious code into GPU execution contexts, or potentially escalate privileges to full system access. The persistent nature of the vulnerability means that even after the initial attack, the compromised driver state can continue to allow unauthorized memory access until the system is rebooted or the driver is properly reinitialized.
Mitigation strategies should focus on implementing robust input validation for all GPU system calls and ensuring proper cleanup procedures are executed regardless of execution path taken. Memory management routines must be hardened against incomplete cleanup scenarios through mandatory state verification and proper reference counting mechanisms. Additionally, privilege separation between user-space applications and kernel-level GPU driver components should be strengthened through modern security frameworks like kernel address space layout randomization and control flow integrity checks that prevent exploitation of the use-after-free conditions. System administrators should monitor for unusual GPU memory access patterns and implement strict access controls for shader compilation and execution environments to reduce the attack surface exposed to potential exploitation.