CVE-2025-33218: NVIDIA GPU Driver Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-33218 Overview

CVE-2025-33218 is an integer overflow vulnerability in the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows. The flaw resides in the kernel mode layer component nvlddmkm.sys. A local attacker with low privileges can trigger the overflow to corrupt kernel memory. Successful exploitation can lead to code execution, escalation of privileges, data tampering, denial of service, or information disclosure. The weakness is classified as [CWE-190] Integer Overflow or Wraparound.

Critical Impact
Local low-privileged users can escalate to SYSTEM through kernel memory corruption in nvlddmkm.sys, gaining full control of the affected Windows host.

Affected Products

NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows
Kernel mode layer component nvlddmkm.sys
Windows systems running vulnerable NVIDIA driver versions listed in NVIDIA Support Answer #5747

Discovery Timeline

2026-01-28 - CVE-2025-33218 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-33218

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is an integer overflow in the NVIDIA Windows kernel mode display driver nvlddmkm.sys. Kernel drivers process user-supplied input through Device I/O Control (IOCTL) requests. When the driver performs arithmetic on attacker-controlled size or index values without proper bounds checking, the result can wrap around the integer range. This produces an unexpectedly small allocation or an incorrect offset that downstream code treats as valid. Subsequent memory operations then read or write outside the intended buffer within kernel address space.

Because the driver executes in ring 0, corruption of adjacent kernel structures allows an attacker to redirect execution flow or overwrite security-relevant data. Exploitation requires only local access with low privileges and no user interaction. The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) currently rates the likelihood of near-term exploitation as low, but kernel driver flaws remain a favored target for local privilege escalation chains.

Root Cause

The root cause is missing or insufficient validation of arithmetic operations on integer values sourced from user mode. NVIDIA has not disclosed the specific handler function. The vulnerable code path performs a computation such as size * count or base + offset where the result exceeds the maximum representable integer and wraps. The driver then proceeds with the truncated value, producing a mismatch between the allocated buffer and the amount of data subsequently written or read.

Attack Vector

An attacker executes code as any authenticated local user on the target Windows system. The attacker opens a handle to the NVIDIA driver device and issues a crafted IOCTL with parameters designed to trigger the overflow. No remote network access, administrative rights, or user interaction is required. Successful exploitation yields kernel-mode code execution, which typically results in a SYSTEM-level shell. The vulnerability is well-suited as a second stage in an intrusion where the attacker has already gained initial low-privileged code execution through phishing, a browser exploit, or a compromised application.

No public proof-of-concept exploit is available at the time of writing. Technical details are not published in the NVD entry for CVE-2025-33218 or the NVIDIA advisory.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-33218

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected system crashes or bugchecks referencing nvlddmkm.sys in Windows minidumps, which may indicate failed exploitation attempts.
Creation of new processes running as NT AUTHORITY\SYSTEM from parent processes running under standard user contexts.
Non-graphics applications opening handles to NVIDIA display driver device objects and issuing IOCTL requests.

Detection Strategies

Monitor Windows Error Reporting and kernel crash telemetry for repeated faults in nvlddmkm.sys originating from the same user session.
Alert on token manipulation and privilege escalation events, particularly parent-child process chains that transition from a medium to high integrity level without a documented UAC prompt.
Correlate NVIDIA driver version inventory against the fixed versions listed in the NVIDIA advisory to identify unpatched endpoints.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable kernel driver telemetry and behavioral monitoring on all Windows workstations equipped with discrete NVIDIA GPUs, including workstations, gaming systems used for work, and virtual desktops with GPU passthrough.
Ingest Windows Sysmon Event ID 1 (process creation) and Event ID 10 (process access) into a centralized data lake to hunt for anomalous access to \\.\Nvidia* device objects.
Track driver version compliance through endpoint management tooling and generate exceptions for systems that remain on vulnerable versions past the patch deadline.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-33218

Immediate Actions Required

Inventory all Windows systems with NVIDIA GPUs and identify installed driver versions using nvidia-smi or the NVIDIA Control Panel.
Apply the driver update published in NVIDIA Support Answer #5747 to every affected endpoint.
Restrict local logon rights on high-value systems to reduce the population of accounts capable of triggering the flaw.
Enable Windows Defender Exploit Guard and kernel-mode Hardware-enforced Stack Protection on supported hardware.

Patch Information

NVIDIA has published fixed driver versions in security bulletin NVIDIA Support Answer #5747. Administrators should consult the bulletin for the specific branch (Studio, Game Ready, Data Center, RTX Enterprise, or vGPU) that matches their deployment and install the corresponding fixed release. Enterprise environments should stage the update through their standard software distribution channel and reboot affected systems to load the patched driver.

Workarounds

No official workaround eliminates the vulnerability without applying the vendor patch.
On systems where the graphics driver is not required, uninstall the NVIDIA display driver and fall back to the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter until patching is possible.
Enforce the principle of least privilege and application allowlisting to reduce the ability of untrusted code to run and reach the driver interface.

bash

# Query installed NVIDIA driver version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-WmiObject Win32_PnPSignedDriver `
  | Where-Object { $_.DeviceName -like "*NVIDIA*" } `
  | Select-Object DeviceName, DriverVersion, DriverDate