CVE-2025-23297 Overview
CVE-2025-23297 affects the NVIDIA Installer for NvAPP on Windows. The flaw resides in the FrameviewSDK installation process, which sets insecure permissions on the Frameview SDK directory. A local unprivileged attacker can modify files inside that directory and potentially escalate privileges when a higher-privileged process executes the tampered content.
The weakness is classified under CWE-276: Incorrect Default Permissions. Successful exploitation impacts confidentiality, integrity, and availability on the affected host.
Critical Impact
A local, low-privileged user can tamper with FrameviewSDK files and gain elevated privileges on Windows systems running vulnerable NVIDIA NvAPP installer components.
Affected Products
- NVIDIA Installer for NvAPP for Windows
- NVIDIA FrameviewSDK installation component
- Windows systems with NvAPP installed via the affected installer
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-01 - CVE-2025-23297 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-23297
Vulnerability Analysis
The vulnerability originates in the way the NvAPP installer provisions the Frameview SDK directory on Windows. During installation, the directory and its contents receive permissions that allow write access to non-privileged users. This exposes the SDK's executables, libraries, and configuration files to modification outside of the installer's intended trust boundary.
When an NVIDIA component or service later loads or executes files from this directory in a privileged context, attacker-controlled content runs with elevated rights. This pattern is a classic local privilege escalation primitive on Windows and requires only an authenticated session on the target host.
The attack does not require user interaction beyond normal system usage, and its complexity is low because the attacker only needs standard file-write operations against a predictable path.
Root Cause
The root cause is incorrect default permissions [CWE-276] applied by the FrameviewSDK installation routine. Directory access control lists (ACLs) grant unprivileged principals write access where only administrators or SYSTEM should have that capability.
Attack Vector
An attacker with local, low-privileged access to the Windows host locates the Frameview SDK installation directory. The attacker replaces or modifies a binary, DLL, or configuration file within that directory. When a privileged NVIDIA process, scheduled task, or updater subsequently loads the tampered file, the attacker's code executes at the privilege level of that process.
The vulnerability manifests through file system permission weaknesses rather than a memory corruption bug. There are no verified public exploit examples for CVE-2025-23297. Refer to NVIDIA Support Answer 5682 for vendor technical details.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-23297
Indicators of Compromise
- Unexpected writes to files within the Frameview SDK installation directory by non-administrative users.
- Creation of new executables, DLLs, or scripts inside NVIDIA FrameviewSDK paths outside of official installer activity.
- NVIDIA-signed processes loading unsigned modules from the FrameviewSDK directory.
Detection Strategies
- Audit ACLs on the FrameviewSDK directory and flag hosts where standard users hold write, modify, or full-control permissions.
- Monitor Windows Security event ID 4663 for file modification events under NVIDIA NvAPP directories by non-privileged SIDs.
- Correlate process creation events where NVIDIA parent processes spawn unexpected child binaries originating from the SDK path.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable Windows object access auditing on the FrameviewSDK directory to capture write attempts from unprivileged accounts.
- Baseline the expected file inventory of the FrameviewSDK directory and alert on additions or hash changes.
- Track NvAPP installer versions across managed endpoints and prioritize hosts still running vulnerable builds.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-23297
Immediate Actions Required
- Apply the NVIDIA-provided update for the NvAPP installer as documented in NVIDIA Support Answer 5682.
- Inventory Windows endpoints running NvAPP and FrameviewSDK components and prioritize patching multi-user and privileged workstations.
- Restrict interactive logon on hosts running NvAPP to trusted users until patching completes.
Patch Information
NVIDIA has published fixed installer builds through its security bulletin. Consult the NVIDIA Support Answer 5682 advisory and the CVE.org record for CVE-2025-23297 for the exact fixed version identifiers and download locations. Reinstall NvAPP using the patched installer so that the Frameview SDK directory is re-provisioned with corrected permissions.
Workarounds
- Manually correct ACLs on the Frameview SDK directory to remove write and modify rights from non-administrative users and groups such as Users and Authenticated Users.
- Remove NvAPP and the FrameviewSDK component on systems where the functionality is not required.
- Enforce application allowlisting to block execution of unsigned or unexpected binaries from within NVIDIA installation paths.
# Example: inspect and tighten ACLs on the Frameview SDK directory (run as Administrator)
icacls "C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\FrameViewSDK"
icacls "C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\FrameViewSDK" /remove:g "Users"
icacls "C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\FrameViewSDK" /remove:g "Authenticated Users"
icacls "C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\FrameViewSDK" /inheritance:r
icacls "C:\Program Files\NVIDIA Corporation\FrameViewSDK" /grant:r "Administrators:(OI)(CI)F" "SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)F" "Users:(OI)(CI)RX"
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
