NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): NULL dereference in the escape handler

CVSS 7.8CVE-2020-5966NVIDIA / GPU stackcurated

Impact

NULL dereference in the escape handler; unprivileged local caller crashes the node, escalation not excluded.

Who can reach it

Any local user with GPU device access.

What to do

Install the fixed Windows GPU Display Driver branch listed in the NVIDIA bulletin. nvlddmkm.sys is a kernel driver: the swap needs a host reboot, so on a Windows GPU node this is a drain-and-reboot, not a live driver reload. No VBIOS or BMC flash involved.

References

https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2020-5966

Related entries

NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): A securely loaded system DLL then loads its own dependenciesCVE-2020-5980 · NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys)High
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): Use of a dangling pointer in the escape handler, rated code-executionCVE-2021-1075 · NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys)High
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): A kernel object created by the escape handler gets defaultCVE-2019-5687 · NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys)High
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): Hard-link attack: an unprivileged user makes the driver overwriteCVE-2021-1091 · NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys)High
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): The driver loads Windows system DLLs without validating pathCVE-2019-5676 · NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys)Medium
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys): NULL dereference reachable through private IOCTLs, with NVIDIA notingCVE-2021-1115 · NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver (nvlddmkm.sys)Medium

All NVIDIA / GPU stack entries

This entry is curated: imported from vendor advisories with machine assistance, not yet individually verified. Confirm against your vendor's advisory before acting, and report anything wrong.