CVE-2022-21813

What it actually does

The flaw allows an unprivileged local user to obtain limited write access to protected memory in the NVIDIA GPU kernel driver due to improper permission checks, resulting in denial of service.

Why it matters to the business

Attackers with local access can crash affected Linux systems, disrupting operations and availability on GPU-equipped servers or workstations; the issue is old with stable low exploit likelihood and no known ransomware use.

How an attack unfolds

A local attacker on a Linux system with the vulnerable NVIDIA driver crafts input to the kernel driver that bypasses permission checks, writes to protected memory regions, and triggers a denial of service condition.

How to fix it

Update the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver to a fixed version; for listed gpac packages apply gpac/gpac (GIT) commit 418db4149af78773815b5f6a7030a120037ba140 or gpac (Ubuntu:22.04:LTS) 2.0.0+dfsg1-2 and later.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm driver or package versions match or exceed the listed fixed releases; test that local unprivileged processes cannot write to protected memory regions via the driver interface.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local unprivileged access to a Linux host with the vulnerable driver
2. Interact with the kernel driver interface using crafted requests
3. Trigger improper permission handling to gain limited write access to protected memory
4. Cause system instability or crash to achieve denial of service

How to detect it

Inspect system logs for kernel driver crashes or memory access violations from unprivileged processes; review audit logs for unexpected writes involving protected memory regions after local authentication.

What your security team should do

• Prioritize patching systems with the affected NVIDIA driver or gpac packages within standard maintenance windows given the 2022 disclosure and low EPSS
• Restrict local user accounts and monitor for anomalous kernel driver interactions
• Review logs for memory access or crash events tied to the driver