CVE-2025-33231 identifies a vulnerability in the NVIDIA Nsight Systems component of the CUDA Toolkit for Windows, affecting all versions prior to 13.1. The flaw stems from an uncontrolled search path element in the DLL loading process, classified under CWE-427. This means the application does not securely specify the full path for DLLs it loads, allowing an attacker to place a malicious DLL in a directory that is searched before the legitimate one. When the application loads this malicious DLL, it can lead to arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability requires local access with limited privileges and user interaction, and the attack complexity is high due to the need to manipulate the DLL search path effectively. Successful exploitation can result in privilege escalation, data tampering, denial of service, and information disclosure, impacting confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Although no exploits are currently known in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk to environments running affected versions of the CUDA Toolkit, especially where NVIDIA Nsight Systems is used for performance analysis and debugging in GPU-accelerated applications.

For European organizations, particularly those involved in high-performance computing, AI research, and software development using NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit, this vulnerability could lead to severe consequences. Attackers exploiting this flaw could gain unauthorized code execution capabilities, potentially escalating privileges to compromise sensitive data or disrupt critical computational workloads. This could affect intellectual property, research data integrity, and operational continuity. The impact is heightened in environments where multiple users share systems or where endpoint security is less stringent, increasing the risk of lateral movement and broader network compromise. Additionally, denial of service conditions could interrupt time-sensitive computations or services, causing operational delays. Confidentiality breaches could expose proprietary algorithms or research findings, undermining competitive advantage and compliance with data protection regulations such as GDPR.

Organizations should upgrade to CUDA Toolkit version 13.1 or later, where this vulnerability is addressed. Until patching is possible, implement strict DLL loading policies by configuring Windows to use fully qualified DLL paths and enabling SafeDllSearchMode to prioritize system directories. Employ application whitelisting and endpoint protection solutions that monitor and block unauthorized DLL injections or modifications. Restrict local user permissions to minimize the ability to place malicious DLLs in search paths. Conduct regular audits of DLL directories and environment variables influencing DLL search order. Educate users about the risks of executing untrusted software and the importance of reporting suspicious activities. For development environments, isolate build and debug tools from general user workstations to reduce exposure. Finally, monitor system logs for unusual DLL load events or privilege escalation attempts to detect potential exploitation attempts early.