CVE-2024-0150: NVIDIA GPU Driver Buffer Overflow Flaw

CVE-2024-0150 Overview

CVE-2024-0150 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability affecting NVIDIA GPU display drivers for both Windows and Linux operating systems. The vulnerability exists where data is written past the end or before the beginning of a buffer, which can result in memory corruption. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to information disclosure, denial of service, or data tampering on affected systems.

Critical Impact

Local attackers with low privileges can exploit this buffer write vulnerability to potentially corrupt system memory, cause system crashes, or tamper with sensitive data on systems running vulnerable NVIDIA GPU drivers.

Affected Products

• NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows
• NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Linux
• Systems with NVIDIA GPUs running vulnerable driver versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2025-01-28 - CVE CVE-2024-0150 published to NVD
• 2025-01-28 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-0150

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability is classified as CWE-787 (Out-of-bounds Write), a memory corruption vulnerability that occurs when the NVIDIA GPU display driver writes data outside the intended buffer boundaries. The flaw allows data to be written past the end or before the beginning of an allocated buffer region, leading to corruption of adjacent memory structures.

The vulnerability requires local access to exploit, meaning an attacker must have some form of authenticated access to the target system. Once local access is obtained, the attack complexity is low, requiring minimal technical sophistication to trigger the vulnerable code path. The vulnerability can result in high impact to both integrity and availability of the system, potentially allowing attackers to tamper with data or cause denial of service conditions.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-0150 lies in insufficient bounds checking within the NVIDIA GPU display driver code. When processing certain operations, the driver fails to properly validate buffer boundaries before performing write operations. This allows write operations to occur outside the intended memory region, corrupting adjacent memory structures. Out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities in kernel-mode drivers like GPU display drivers are particularly dangerous as they execute with elevated system privileges.

Attack Vector

The attack vector for this vulnerability is local, requiring the attacker to have existing access to the target system. An attacker with low-level privileges on a system running a vulnerable NVIDIA GPU driver could craft malicious input or trigger specific driver operations that cause the out-of-bounds write condition.

The exploitation flow would involve:

1. The attacker gains local access to a system with a vulnerable NVIDIA GPU driver
2. The attacker triggers a specific driver operation that processes crafted data
3. Insufficient bounds checking allows data to be written outside buffer boundaries
4. Memory corruption occurs, potentially leading to information disclosure, denial of service, or data tampering

For technical details on the vulnerability, refer to the NVIDIA Security Bulletin.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-0150

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected system crashes or blue screens (BSOD) related to NVIDIA display driver components
• Anomalous memory access patterns or memory corruption errors in system logs
• Unusual driver behavior or GPU-related errors that may indicate exploitation attempts
• System instability when running graphics-intensive applications

Detection Strategies

• Monitor system event logs for NVIDIA driver-related crashes or errors
• Implement endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect memory corruption attempts
• Use application whitelisting to prevent unauthorized processes from interacting with GPU drivers
• Deploy SentinelOne agents to detect and respond to exploitation attempts targeting driver vulnerabilities

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging for GPU driver operations where available
• Monitor for unusual process behavior interacting with NVIDIA driver components
• Implement file integrity monitoring on driver files to detect unauthorized modifications
• Review system stability reports for patterns indicating potential exploitation attempts

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-0150

Immediate Actions Required

• Update NVIDIA GPU display drivers to the latest patched version immediately
• Review the NVIDIA Security Bulletin for specific affected versions and remediation guidance
• Inventory all systems with NVIDIA GPUs and prioritize patching based on exposure
• Restrict local access to systems running vulnerable drivers until patches are applied

Patch Information

NVIDIA has released security updates to address this vulnerability. System administrators should consult the official NVIDIA Support Answer for detailed patch information, affected driver versions, and download links for updated drivers. Apply the appropriate driver update for your operating system (Windows or Linux) and GPU model.

Workarounds

• Limit local user access to systems with vulnerable NVIDIA drivers
• Implement least privilege principles to reduce the attack surface
• Monitor systems for signs of exploitation while awaiting patch deployment
• Consider temporarily disabling non-essential GPU features if operational requirements allow

# Verify NVIDIA driver version on Linux
nvidia-smi --query-gpu=driver_version --format=csv,noheader

# Verify NVIDIA driver version on Windows (PowerShell)
# Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver | Where-Object {$_.DeviceName -like "*NVIDIA*"} | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion