Vulnerabilities > CVE-2012-4225 - Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls vulnerability in Nvidia Unix Graphic Driver

047910
CVSS 7.2 - HIGH
Attack vector
LOCAL
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
NONE
Confidentiality impact
COMPLETE
Integrity impact
COMPLETE
Availability impact
COMPLETE
local
low complexity
nvidia
CWE-264
nessus

Summary

NVIDIA UNIX graphics driver before 295.71 and before 304.32 allows local users to write to arbitrary physical memory locations and gain privileges by modifying the VGA window using /dev/nvidia0.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Nvidia
1

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Accessing, Modifying or Executing Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's configuration that allows an attacker to either directly access an executable file, for example through shell access; or in a possible worst case allows an attacker to upload a file and then execute it. Web servers, ftp servers, and message oriented middleware systems which have many integration points are particularly vulnerable, because both the programmers and the administrators must be in synch regarding the interfaces and the correct privileges for each interface.
  • Leverage Executable Code in Non-Executable Files
    An attack of this type exploits a system's trust in configuration and resource files, when the executable loads the resource (such as an image file or configuration file) the attacker has modified the file to either execute malicious code directly or manipulate the target process (e.g. application server) to execute based on the malicious configuration parameters. Since systems are increasingly interrelated mashing up resources from local and remote sources the possibility of this attack occurring is high. The attack can be directed at a client system, such as causing buffer overrun through loading seemingly benign image files, as in Microsoft Security Bulletin MS04-028 where specially crafted JPEG files could cause a buffer overrun once loaded into the browser. Another example targets clients reading pdf files. In this case the attacker simply appends javascript to the end of a legitimate url for a pdf (http://www.gnucitizen.org/blog/danger-danger-danger/) http://path/to/pdf/file.pdf#whatever_name_you_want=javascript:your_code_here The client assumes that they are reading a pdf, but the attacker has modified the resource and loaded executable javascript into the client's browser process. The attack can also target server processes. The attacker edits the resource or configuration file, for example a web.xml file used to configure security permissions for a J2EE app server, adding role name "public" grants all users with the public role the ability to use the administration functionality. The server trusts its configuration file to be correct, but when they are manipulated, the attacker gains full control.
  • Blue Boxing
    This type of attack against older telephone switches and trunks has been around for decades. A tone is sent by an adversary to impersonate a supervisor signal which has the effect of rerouting or usurping command of the line. While the US infrastructure proper may not contain widespread vulnerabilities to this type of attack, many companies are connected globally through call centers and business process outsourcing. These international systems may be operated in countries which have not upgraded Telco infrastructure and so are vulnerable to Blue boxing. Blue boxing is a result of failure on the part of the system to enforce strong authorization for administrative functions. While the infrastructure is different than standard current applications like web applications, there are historical lessons to be learned to upgrade the access control for administrative functions.
  • Restful Privilege Elevation
    Rest uses standard HTTP (Get, Put, Delete) style permissions methods, but these are not necessarily correlated generally with back end programs. Strict interpretation of HTTP get methods means that these HTTP Get services should not be used to delete information on the server, but there is no access control mechanism to back up this logic. This means that unless the services are properly ACL'd and the application's service implementation are following these guidelines then an HTTP request can easily execute a delete or update on the server side. The attacker identifies a HTTP Get URL such as http://victimsite/updateOrder, which calls out to a program to update orders on a database or other resource. The URL is not idempotent so the request can be submitted multiple times by the attacker, additionally, the attacker may be able to exploit the URL published as a Get method that actually performs updates (instead of merely retrieving data). This may result in malicious or inadvertent altering of data on the server.
  • Target Programs with Elevated Privileges
    This attack targets programs running with elevated privileges. The attacker would try to leverage a bug in the running program and get arbitrary code to execute with elevated privileges. For instance an attacker would look for programs that write to the system directories or registry keys (such as HKLM, which stores a number of critical Windows environment variables). These programs are typically running with elevated privileges and have usually not been designed with security in mind. Such programs are excellent exploit targets because they yield lots of power when they break. The malicious user try to execute its code at the same level as a privileged system call.

Nessus

  • NASL familyGentoo Local Security Checks
    NASL idGENTOO_GLSA-201304-01.NASL
    descriptionThe remote host is affected by the vulnerability described in GLSA-201304-01 (NVIDIA Drivers: Privilege escalation) Two vulnerabilities have been discovered in NVIDIA drivers: A vulnerability has been found in the way NVIDIA drivers handle read/write access to GPU device nodes, allowing access to arbitrary system memory locations (CVE-2012-4225). A buffer overflow error has been discovered in NVIDIA drivers (CVE-2013-0131). NOTE: Exposure to CVE-2012-4225 is reduced in Gentoo due to 660 permissions being used on the GPU device nodes by default. Impact : A local attacker could gain escalated privileges. Workaround : There is no known workaround at this time.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id65862
    published2013-04-09
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2013-2018 Tenable Network Security, Inc.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/65862
    titleGLSA-201304-01 : NVIDIA Drivers: Privilege escalation
  • NASL familyFreeBSD Local Security Checks
    NASL idFREEBSD_PKG_B91234E79A8B11E1B666001636D274F3.NASL
    descriptionNVIDIA Unix security team reports : Security vulnerability CVE-2012-0946 in the NVIDIA UNIX driver was disclosed to NVIDIA on March 20th, 2012. The vulnerability makes it possible for an attacker who has read and write access to the GPU device nodes to reconfigure GPUs to gain access to arbitrary system memory. NVIDIA is not aware of any reports of this vulnerability, outside of the disclosure which was made privately to NVIDIA. NVIDIA has identified the root cause of the vulnerability and has released updated drivers which close it. [NVIDIA encourages] all users with Geforce 8 or newer, G80 Quadro or newer, and all Tesla GPUs to update their drivers to 295.40 or later. Later, it was additionally discovered that similar exploit could be achieved through remapping of VGA window : NVIDIA received notification of a security exploit that uses NVIDIA UNIX device files to map and program registers to redirect the VGA window. Through the VGA window, the exploit can access any region of physical system memory. This arbitrary memory access can be further exploited, for example, to escalate user privileges.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id59086
    published2012-05-14
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2012-2018 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/59086
    titleFreeBSD : NVIDIA UNIX driver -- access to arbitrary system memory (b91234e7-9a8b-11e1-b666-001636d274f3)