ZDI-26-232: (Pwn2Own) Red Hat Enterprise Linux vmwgfx Driver Integer Overflow Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The ZDI has assigned a CVSS rating of 8.8. The following CVEs are assigned: CVE-2025-40277.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2025-40277 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the vmwgfx driver of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The flaw arises from improper validation of user-supplied data in the vmw_cmd_check function, causing an integer overflow before memory write operations. This allows an attacker with low-level code execution privileges to escalate to kernel-level code execution, compromising system integrity. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Red Hat has released an official patch to remediate this issue.
Potential Impact
An attacker who can execute low-privileged code on a vulnerable Red Hat Enterprise Linux system can exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges to kernel level. This enables arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges, potentially leading to full system compromise including confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.
Mitigation Recommendations
Red Hat has issued an official update that corrects this vulnerability. Users should apply the Red Hat security update available at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2025-40277 to remediate this issue. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the vendor-provided patch.
ZDI-26-232: (Pwn2Own) Red Hat Enterprise Linux vmwgfx Driver Integer Overflow Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
Description
This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The ZDI has assigned a CVSS rating of 8.8. The following CVEs are assigned: CVE-2025-40277.
AI-Powered Analysis
Machine-generated threat intelligence
Technical Analysis
CVE-2025-40277 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the vmwgfx driver of Red Hat Enterprise Linux. The flaw arises from improper validation of user-supplied data in the vmw_cmd_check function, causing an integer overflow before memory write operations. This allows an attacker with low-level code execution privileges to escalate to kernel-level code execution, compromising system integrity. The vulnerability carries a CVSS score of 8.8 (AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H). Red Hat has released an official patch to remediate this issue.
Potential Impact
An attacker who can execute low-privileged code on a vulnerable Red Hat Enterprise Linux system can exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges to kernel level. This enables arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges, potentially leading to full system compromise including confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts.
Mitigation Recommendations
Red Hat has issued an official update that corrects this vulnerability. Users should apply the Red Hat security update available at https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2025-40277 to remediate this issue. No additional mitigation steps are required beyond applying the vendor-provided patch.
Technical Details
- Article Source
- {"url":"http://www.zerodayinitiative.com/advisories/ZDI-26-232/","fetched":true,"fetchedAt":"2026-05-26T19:59:53.038Z","wordCount":217}
Threat ID: 6a15fc93e29bf47b5055e208
Added to database: 5/26/2026, 8:03:31 PM
Last enriched: 5/26/2026, 8:16:06 PM
Last updated: 5/27/2026, 12:06:27 AM
Views: 3
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