CVE-2022-31617 is a high-severity vulnerability affecting the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows, specifically within the kernel mode component nvlddmkm.sys used by NVIDIA Cloud Gaming guest drivers. The vulnerability is classified as a CWE-125: Out-of-bounds Read, which occurs when a local user with limited privileges triggers an out-of-bounds memory read operation. This flaw can lead to multiple severe consequences including arbitrary code execution, denial of service (system crashes or instability), escalation of privileges, information disclosure, and data tampering. The vulnerability is exploitable locally, requiring only low privileges (PR:L) and no user interaction (UI:N), making it a potent threat if an attacker gains access to a system. The scope is unchanged (S:U), meaning the impact is confined to the vulnerable component on the local system. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.8, reflecting high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The vulnerability affects all versions of the NVIDIA Cloud Gaming guest driver released prior to August 2022. No known exploits in the wild have been reported yet, but the presence of a kernel mode driver vulnerability combined with the potential for privilege escalation and code execution makes this a critical issue for affected systems. The vulnerability arises from improper bounds checking in the kernel driver, allowing memory outside the intended buffer to be read, which can be leveraged to leak sensitive information or corrupt memory leading to control flow hijacking. The affected component is widely deployed in Windows systems utilizing NVIDIA GPUs for cloud gaming or related virtualization scenarios, making it relevant for environments where NVIDIA Cloud Gaming drivers are installed and used.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2022-31617 can be significant, especially in sectors relying on NVIDIA GPUs for cloud gaming, virtualization, or GPU-accelerated workloads on Windows platforms. The vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges and potentially execute arbitrary code at kernel level, which can compromise system integrity and confidentiality. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of services through denial of service attacks, and tampering with critical system components. Organizations in gaming, media, cloud service providers, and enterprises using GPU virtualization for AI or compute workloads are particularly at risk. The ability to exploit this vulnerability without user interaction and with low privileges increases the risk of lateral movement within networks if an attacker gains initial foothold. Additionally, the potential for information disclosure could expose intellectual property or personal data, raising compliance and regulatory concerns under GDPR. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the high severity and kernel-level nature of the flaw warrant urgent attention to prevent future targeted attacks.

1. Immediate deployment of the August 2022 or later NVIDIA driver updates that address this vulnerability is critical. Organizations should prioritize patching all systems running affected NVIDIA Cloud Gaming guest drivers. 2. Implement strict access controls and monitoring on systems with NVIDIA GPUs to limit local user access and detect suspicious activities indicative of exploitation attempts. 3. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring kernel-level driver behavior to identify anomalous memory access patterns. 4. For environments using GPU virtualization or cloud gaming services, isolate these workloads in segmented network zones to reduce the risk of lateral movement. 5. Regularly audit installed driver versions across the enterprise to ensure no outdated vulnerable drivers remain. 6. Educate IT and security teams about the specific risks posed by GPU driver vulnerabilities and incorporate this into vulnerability management workflows. 7. Consider disabling or restricting NVIDIA Cloud Gaming guest driver usage on systems where it is not essential to reduce the attack surface. 8. Monitor vendor advisories and threat intelligence feeds for any emerging exploit code or attack campaigns targeting this vulnerability to enable rapid response.