CVE-2021-1091

Privileged file overwrite via hard-link following

Published Jul 22, 2021 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Improper link resolution in NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows allows local users to overwrite privileged files via hard links. The driver follows an attacker-created hard link when performing a privileged file write, redirecting the overwrite to a protected file. Local unprivileged access is required, and successful exploitation causes data loss or service interruption.

CVSS severity7.1
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Improper link resolution in NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows allows local users to overwrite privileged files via hard links. The driver follows an attacker-created hard link when performing a privileged file write, redirecting the overwrite to a protected file. Local unprivileged access is required, and successful exploitation causes data loss or service interruption.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-1091
Published
Jul 22, 2021
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
NVIDIA
Product
NVIDIA GPU Display Driver
Classifications
CWE-59, T1485, T1499
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jul 22, 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

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=All GPU Driver versions

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

NVIDIA · NVIDIA GPU Display Driverversion=All GPU Driver versions

Published CVSS scores

3.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:P
7.1NVIDIA CorporationCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H

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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

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-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')
T1485Data Destruction
T1499Endpoint Denial of Service

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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo