CVE-2025-23342 is a high-severity vulnerability identified in the NVIDIA NVDebug tool, affecting all versions prior to 1.7.0. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-522, which pertains to insufficiently protected credentials. This weakness allows an attacker with limited privileges (PR:L) and requiring user interaction (UI:R) to potentially gain access to privileged accounts by exploiting the way credentials are stored or handled within the NVDebug tool. The vulnerability's exploitation vector is local (AV:L), meaning the attacker must have local access to the system to attempt exploitation. Successful exploitation can lead to a range of critical impacts including code execution, denial of service (DoS), privilege escalation, information disclosure, and data tampering. The CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.2 reflects the high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, with a scope change (S:C) indicating that the vulnerability can affect resources beyond the initially compromised component. The vulnerability arises from insufficient protection of credentials, which may be stored in plaintext or weakly encrypted, making them accessible to attackers who gain local access. This can allow attackers to impersonate privileged users or execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the severity and nature of the vulnerability make it a significant risk, especially in environments where the NVDebug tool is used for debugging NVIDIA GPU drivers or related components.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-23342 can be substantial, particularly for industries relying heavily on NVIDIA GPU technologies for high-performance computing, AI workloads, and graphics processing such as automotive, manufacturing, research institutions, and data centers. Exploitation could lead to unauthorized access to critical systems, disruption of services through denial of service attacks, and potential data breaches involving sensitive intellectual property or personal data, which would also trigger GDPR compliance issues. The escalation of privileges could allow attackers to move laterally within networks, compromising additional systems and increasing the scope of damage. Given the local attack vector, insider threats or attackers who gain initial footholds through other means could leverage this vulnerability to deepen their access. The confidentiality and integrity of data processed or stored on affected systems could be severely compromised, leading to operational disruptions and financial losses.

Organizations should prioritize upgrading the NVIDIA NVDebug tool to version 1.7.0 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. Since no patch links are provided, monitoring NVIDIA’s official channels for patches or updates is critical. Until patched, restrict access to systems running the NVDebug tool to trusted personnel only and enforce strict local access controls. Implement robust endpoint security solutions to detect and prevent unauthorized local access attempts. Employ application whitelisting and privilege management to limit the execution of debugging tools to authorized users. Conduct regular audits of credential storage practices and ensure that any credentials used by debugging tools are stored securely using strong encryption and access controls. Additionally, monitor logs for unusual activities related to the NVDebug tool and implement network segmentation to isolate critical systems using NVIDIA GPUs from less secure network zones. Educate staff about the risks of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities and enforce strict policies on the use of debugging tools.