CVE-2025-23278 Overview
CVE-2025-23278 affects the NVIDIA Display Driver on both Windows and Linux platforms. The flaw is an improper index validation issue [CWE-129] that a local, authenticated attacker can trigger by issuing a driver call with crafted parameters. Successful exploitation can lead to data tampering or denial of service on the affected system.
The vulnerability requires local access and low privileges, with no user interaction needed. It does not expose confidential data but affects integrity and availability of the host.
Critical Impact
A local attacker with low privileges can trigger data tampering or a denial-of-service condition in the NVIDIA Display Driver by supplying malformed indices to a driver interface.
Affected Products
- NVIDIA Display Driver for Windows
- NVIDIA Display Driver for Linux
- Refer to the NVIDIA Support Answer 5670 for the complete list of affected branches and fixed versions
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-08-02 - CVE-2025-23278 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-23278
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability is classified under [CWE-129] Improper Validation of Array Index. The NVIDIA Display Driver exposes interfaces callable from user space that accept parameters used as indices into internal data structures. When an attacker supplies a crafted index outside the expected bounds, the driver fails to validate the value before using it.
The result is an out-of-bounds access within the driver's memory space. Because the driver runs with kernel privileges, the flaw affects integrity and availability of the host. The advisory scopes impact to data tampering and denial of service, not confidentiality or code execution.
Exploitation requires local access with low privileges. No user interaction is required, and the attack complexity is low.
Root Cause
The root cause is missing or insufficient bounds checking on an index parameter passed through a driver call. The driver trusts the supplied index and dereferences a structure or array without verifying that the value falls within the allocated range.
Attack Vector
An authenticated local user issues a call to a vulnerable driver interface with a manipulated index parameter. The driver processes the request in kernel context and performs the out-of-bounds operation. NVIDIA has not published proof-of-concept code, and no public exploit is currently available. See the NVIDIA Security Bulletin for vendor-supplied technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-23278
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected NVIDIA display driver crashes, bugchecks, or nvlddmkm-related kernel faults on Windows systems
- Kernel oops or panic entries referencing the nvidia module in dmesg or journalctl output on Linux hosts
- Repeated abnormal terminations of GPU-dependent processes following non-administrative user activity
Detection Strategies
- Monitor Windows Event Log for Event ID 41 (Kernel-Power) and driver fault events tied to nvlddmkm.sys
- Review Linux kernel logs for tainted-kernel entries or stack traces originating in the NVIDIA driver module
- Correlate GPU driver faults with recent process launches from low-privileged user accounts to identify potential probing
Monitoring Recommendations
- Maintain an inventory of installed NVIDIA driver versions across endpoints and servers and compare against the fixed branches listed in the vendor advisory
- Forward kernel and system logs to a centralized data lake for cross-host correlation of driver instability
- Alert on repeated driver reset events or GPU timeouts originating from the same user session
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-23278
Immediate Actions Required
- Identify all Windows and Linux systems running the NVIDIA Display Driver and record their current versions
- Apply the driver updates listed in the NVIDIA Security Bulletin 5670 as soon as testing allows
- Restrict interactive local logon on multi-user hosts such as workstations, VDI infrastructure, and shared compute nodes
- Audit local account privileges and remove unnecessary standard-user access to GPU-equipped servers
Patch Information
NVIDIA has released updated Display Driver versions that correct the index validation logic. Fixed version numbers for each affected branch on Windows and Linux are published in NVIDIA Support Answer 5670. Administrators should deploy the vendor-supplied installers or distribution packages that match their driver branch.
Workarounds
- No vendor-supplied workaround has been published; patching is the recommended remediation path
- Limit local user access on affected systems until the driver update is deployed
- On servers that do not require GPU acceleration, consider temporarily disabling the NVIDIA driver until patched builds are installed
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
