CVE-2024-0071 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Write) affecting NVIDIA GPU Display drivers, including vGPU and Cloud Gaming drivers on Windows platforms. The flaw exists in the user mode layer of these drivers, allowing an unprivileged regular user to trigger an out-of-bounds write condition. This memory corruption can be exploited to achieve multiple malicious outcomes such as arbitrary code execution, denial of service (system crashes or instability), escalation of privileges from a regular user to higher privilege levels, unauthorized information disclosure, and tampering with data integrity. The vulnerability affects all driver versions prior to and including 16.3, 13.9, and all versions before the January 2024 release, indicating a broad impact across multiple driver branches. The CVSS v3.1 score is 7.8 (high), reflecting the significant impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with relatively low attack complexity and no requirement for privileges but requiring user interaction. The attack vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have local access to the system. No known exploits have been reported in the wild yet, but the potential for exploitation is considerable given the widespread use of NVIDIA GPUs in both consumer and enterprise environments. The vulnerability is particularly critical in environments where GPU virtualization (vGPU) and cloud gaming drivers are deployed, as these often run in multi-tenant or shared environments, increasing the risk of lateral movement or privilege escalation. The lack of available patches at the time of disclosure necessitates immediate attention to mitigate risk through alternative controls.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2024-0071 is significant due to the widespread use of NVIDIA GPUs in workstations, servers, and cloud infrastructures. Enterprises relying on GPU-accelerated computing, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), or cloud gaming services could face severe disruptions including unauthorized access to sensitive data, system downtime, and compromised system integrity. The ability for an unprivileged user to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code poses a direct threat to data confidentiality and operational continuity. In sectors such as finance, healthcare, research, and manufacturing, where GPU resources are critical for performance, exploitation could lead to intellectual property theft, regulatory non-compliance, and financial losses. Additionally, denial of service conditions could disrupt critical services and workflows. The vulnerability’s presence in vGPU and cloud gaming drivers also raises concerns for cloud service providers and enterprises using virtualized GPU resources, potentially affecting multi-tenant environments and increasing the attack surface. The absence of known exploits in the wild provides a window for proactive mitigation, but the high severity score underscores the urgency for remediation.

1. Monitor NVIDIA’s official channels for the release of security patches addressing CVE-2024-0071 and apply updates immediately upon availability. 2. Until patches are available, restrict local user access to systems running affected NVIDIA drivers, especially in sensitive or multi-user environments. 3. Implement strict user privilege management to minimize the number of users with local access and enforce the principle of least privilege. 4. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to detect and prevent suspicious activities related to GPU driver exploitation. 5. For virtualized environments using vGPU drivers, isolate GPU resources and enforce network segmentation to limit lateral movement in case of compromise. 6. Conduct regular audits of GPU driver versions across the organization to identify and remediate outdated or vulnerable installations. 7. Educate users about the risks of interacting with untrusted applications or files that could trigger the vulnerability. 8. Consider temporary disabling or limiting the use of cloud gaming or GPU virtualization features if they are not essential, until patches are applied.