CVE-2021-1053

Host crash via unvalidated kernel user pointer

Published Jan 8, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper input validation in NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux allows local users to crash the operating system. The kernel-mode nvlddmkm.sys handler for DxgkDdiEscape or IOCTL accepts a user pointer without properly validating it before use. Low-privileged local access is required, and successful exploitation interrupts availability by crashing the affected host.

CVSS severity5.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.39%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper input validation in NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux allows local users to crash the operating system. The kernel-mode nvlddmkm.sys handler for DxgkDdiEscape or IOCTL accepts a user pointer without properly validating it before use. Low-privileged local access is required, and successful exploitation interrupts availability by crashing the affected host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-1053
Published
Jan 8, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
NVIDIA
Product
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver
Classifications
CWE-20, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jan 8, 2021CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

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  1. Affected versionversion=All

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

NVIDIA · NVIDIA GPU Display Driverversion=All

Published CVSS scores

5.5NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
2.1NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-20Improper Input Validation
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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