CVE-2025-23309 is a vulnerability classified under CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element) found in NVIDIA GeForce display drivers prior to version 581.42. The issue arises because the driver improperly controls the DLL search path, allowing an attacker to influence which DLL is loaded by the driver. This can be exploited by an attacker with limited privileges who can trick a user into executing a malicious DLL, typically requiring user interaction such as opening a file or running an application that triggers the vulnerable driver behavior. Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution, allowing the attacker to escalate privileges beyond their initial access level. Additionally, the attacker could cause denial of service by loading malicious DLLs that disrupt driver functionality or tamper with data integrity by injecting malicious code or altering data processed by the driver. The vulnerability affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as indicated by the CVSS vector (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), meaning local access is required, but the attack complexity is low, and user interaction is necessary. The scope is changed (S:C), indicating that exploitation can affect resources beyond the vulnerable component. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the severity and potential impact make this a critical issue for affected systems. The vulnerability was publicly disclosed on October 10, 2025, and affects all NVIDIA GeForce driver versions prior to 581.42. No official patches or updates are linked in the provided data, but upgrading to the fixed version is the primary remediation.

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of NVIDIA GeForce drivers in both consumer and professional environments, including gaming, graphic design, video production, and scientific computing. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data, disruption of critical services, and compromise of system integrity. Organizations in sectors such as media, technology, research institutions, and enterprises relying on high-performance computing could face operational disruptions and data breaches. The requirement for local access and user interaction limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk, especially in environments where users may be targeted with social engineering or malware delivery. The potential for privilege escalation means that initial limited access could be leveraged to gain full system control, increasing the threat to enterprise networks. Additionally, denial of service could impact availability of critical systems, affecting business continuity. Given the high CVSS score and the broad impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, European organizations should prioritize mitigation to prevent exploitation.

1. Immediately update all NVIDIA GeForce drivers to version 581.42 or later, as this version addresses the uncontrolled search path vulnerability. 2. Implement application whitelisting to restrict execution of unauthorized DLLs and binaries, reducing the risk of malicious DLL injection. 3. Enforce strict DLL search order policies and validate DLL paths in custom applications and scripts to prevent loading of untrusted libraries. 4. Educate users about the risks of executing unknown files or applications, emphasizing caution with email attachments and downloads to reduce user interaction-based exploitation. 5. Employ endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions capable of monitoring DLL loading behaviors and detecting anomalous activities related to driver processes. 6. Regularly audit and monitor systems for signs of privilege escalation or unauthorized code execution, focusing on processes related to NVIDIA drivers. 7. Restrict local user permissions to the minimum necessary to limit the ability of attackers to exploit local vulnerabilities. 8. Coordinate with IT and security teams to ensure timely deployment of driver updates across all affected systems, including workstations and servers using NVIDIA GeForce hardware.