CVE-2022-21821

What it actually does

Integer overflow in cuobjdump triggers memory corruption that can be leveraged for arbitrary code execution when a malformed file is processed.

Why it matters to the business

Successful exploitation on developer or build systems can result in full host compromise, data theft, or denial of service; the issue affects widely deployed NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit installations on Linux and Windows with no listed fixed versions.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker prepares a specially crafted corrupted binary, delivers it to a target user (via download or shared storage), and relies on the victim executing cuobjdump locally against the file, causing the integer overflow to corrupt memory and achieve remote code execution.

How to fix it

Update the NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit to the newest available release that resolves the integer overflow in cuobjdump; until then, avoid executing cuobjdump against files from untrusted sources and restrict its use to isolated analysis environments.

How to confirm the fix worked

Verify the installed CUDA Toolkit version against the latest NVIDIA release notes, run cuobjdump in a controlled sandbox against known-good and known-bad test files, and confirm the process does not exhibit unexpected memory access or crashes.

Typical attack path

1. Create a malformed file that triggers the integer overflow in cuobjdump
2. Distribute the file to the intended victim through common channels
3. Victim runs cuobjdump against the file on a Linux or Windows system
4. Integer overflow leads to memory corruption and attacker-controlled code execution

How to detect it

Search endpoint logs and process creation events for invocations of cuobjdump on files originating outside trusted repositories; monitor for unexpected child processes, crashes, or memory anomalies immediately following cuobjdump execution.

• cuobjdump
• process execution of cuobjdump on files with unusual extensions or from downloads folder

What your security team should do

• Prioritize patching NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit on all developer and CI systems
• Implement application allow-listing or sandboxing for cuobjdump execution
• Add cuobjdump to file-type and process monitoring rules in endpoint detection tools
• Educate users about the risks of running analysis tools on untrusted binaries