CVE-2025-33219: NVIDIA Linux Driver RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2025-33219 Overview

CVE-2025-33219 affects the NVIDIA Display Driver for Linux. The vulnerability resides in the NVIDIA kernel module and stems from an integer overflow or wraparound condition [CWE-190]. A local attacker with low-privileged access to the system can trigger the flaw through the driver's kernel interface.

Successful exploitation can lead to code execution, privilege escalation, data tampering, denial of service, or information disclosure. Because the vulnerable code executes in kernel context, exploitation grants attackers elevated capabilities on the target host.

Critical Impact
Local attackers can trigger an integer overflow in the NVIDIA Linux kernel module to escalate privileges, execute arbitrary code, or disclose sensitive kernel memory.

Affected Products

NVIDIA Display Driver for Linux
NVIDIA GPU kernel module (nvidia.ko) on affected Linux distributions
Systems using NVIDIA proprietary GPU drivers as documented in the NVIDIA Support Article

Discovery Timeline

2026-01-28 - CVE-2025-33219 published to NVD
2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-33219

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw is an integer overflow or wraparound condition inside the NVIDIA kernel module. When the driver processes attacker-controlled numeric input, an arithmetic operation exceeds the storage capacity of the integer type. The result wraps around to an unexpected value, which the driver then uses in subsequent operations such as size calculations, buffer allocations, or index computations.

Exploitation requires local access with low privileges, and no user interaction is needed. The impact spans confidentiality, integrity, and availability because the vulnerable code runs in the kernel address space. Attackers can leverage the wrap-around to corrupt kernel memory, bypass bounds checks, or read data outside intended boundaries.

EPSS data places the near-term exploitation probability at 0.186%, and no public exploit or CISA KEV listing exists at this time. However, historical NVIDIA driver overflow bugs have been weaponized for local privilege escalation on Linux workstations and GPU compute nodes.

Root Cause

The root cause is improper validation of integer arithmetic in the NVIDIA kernel module's ioctl or memory-management path. The driver performs calculations on user-supplied values without checking for overflow prior to using the result. When the computed value wraps, it produces an undersized allocation or an out-of-range offset that downstream code trusts.

Attack Vector

An authenticated local user issues crafted requests to the NVIDIA driver device node, typically /dev/nvidia* or /dev/nvidiactl. The malformed input drives the vulnerable arithmetic path in kernel mode. Refer to the NVIDIA Support Article and the NVD CVE-2025-33219 Detail for vendor-specific details. No verified proof-of-concept code has been published.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-33219

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected kernel oops or panic messages referencing nvidia module symbols in dmesg or /var/log/kern.log
Non-root processes opening /dev/nvidia* device nodes with anomalous ioctl patterns
New setuid binaries or privilege changes shortly after NVIDIA driver interaction

Detection Strategies

Monitor kernel logs for NVIDIA module faults, memory allocation failures, or unusual GPU driver warnings that may indicate overflow attempts.
Correlate execution of unsigned or unknown binaries with subsequent ioctl calls to NVIDIA character devices.
Track loaded kernel module versions against the fixed NVIDIA driver releases documented by the vendor.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable auditd rules on /dev/nvidia* device nodes to record open, ioctl, and mmap syscalls by non-privileged users.
Alert on privilege transitions from unprivileged UID to UID 0 that follow GPU driver activity.
Aggregate kernel crash telemetry across Linux fleets to identify clustered NVIDIA driver failures.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-33219

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the patched NVIDIA Display Driver for Linux release referenced in the NVIDIA Support Article.
Inventory all Linux hosts running the NVIDIA proprietary driver, including workstations, ML training servers, and virtualization hypervisors.
Restrict interactive and remote shell access on GPU-enabled systems until patching completes.

Patch Information

NVIDIA has released updated Linux GPU driver packages that remediate the integer overflow. Administrators should consult the NVIDIA Support Article for the exact fixed branch versions applicable to their GPU family and reboot systems after installation to load the corrected nvidia.ko module.

Workarounds

Limit access to /dev/nvidia* device nodes by tightening group membership and file permissions where GPU access is not required for all users.
Disable the NVIDIA kernel module on hosts that do not require GPU acceleration until patches are deployed.
Enforce least-privilege policies to prevent untrusted local users from executing code on GPU-enabled hosts.

bash

# Verify installed NVIDIA driver version and restrict device access
modinfo nvidia | grep -E '^version'
ls -l /dev/nvidia*
chgrp video /dev/nvidia*
chmod 0660 /dev/nvidia*