CVE-2022-42264

What it actually does

Out-of-range pointer offset in the kernel-mode NVIDIA GPU display driver allows an unprivileged local user to corrupt memory, resulting in data tampering, information disclosure, denial of service, or data loss.

Why it matters to the business

Systems using affected NVIDIA GPU drivers on Linux or virtualized environments face elevated risk of local privilege escalation or service disruption; the flaw has been public for years with minimal exploitation signals, reducing immediate operational urgency but still requiring driver hygiene across GPU fleets.

How an attack unfolds

An attacker with a local account on a Linux system or guest VM leveraging the vulnerable NVIDIA driver crafts input that triggers the out-of-range pointer offset in kernel mode, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for further impact.

How to fix it

Update the NVIDIA GPU Display Driver to the most recent version that resolves the pointer-offset issue; apply vendor-supplied patches for all listed affected products including virtual GPU, hypervisor, and Linux kernel integrations; where updates are unavailable, restrict unprivileged local access to GPU resources.

How to confirm the fix worked

Confirm the installed NVIDIA driver version matches or exceeds the vendor's fixed release for the affected product line; review kernel logs and driver initialization messages for version strings; re-test local access controls after patching.

Typical attack path

1. Obtain local user access on an affected Linux host or VM with NVIDIA GPU driver loaded
2. Interact with the kernel-mode driver interface to supply crafted parameters
3. Trigger the out-of-range pointer offset to corrupt kernel memory
4. Escalate to data tampering, disclosure, or denial of service

How to detect it

Review kernel logs and NVIDIA driver logs for anomalous memory access or crash patterns around GPU device files; correlate with local authentication events on affected hosts; no widespread in-the-wild indicators have been observed.

What your security team should do

• Inventory all systems running listed NVIDIA products and prioritize driver updates
• Limit local user access to GPU-enabled hosts where possible
• Monitor EPSS and exploit maturity indicators for any future increase in risk