Code execution via undersized RELA section allocation
Published Sep 24, 2025 · Updated Sep 24, 2025
Memory corruption in NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit nvdisasm before 13.0 allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via a crafted ELF file. RELA section parsing rounds a section size below 12 to zero, allocates only heap metadata, then writes attacker-controlled entries past that allocation. Exploitation requires a user to run nvdisasm on the file; Talos demonstrates code execution in 12.8.90, while NVIDIA rates the consequence as a partial service interruption.
Summary
What happened
Memory corruption in NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit nvdisasm before 13.0 allows context-dependent attackers to execute code via a crafted ELF file. RELA section parsing rounds a section size below 12 to zero, allocates only heap metadata, then writes attacker-controlled entries past that allocation. Exploitation requires a user to run nvdisasm on the file; Talos demonstrates code execution in 12.8.90, while NVIDIA rates the consequence as a partial service interruption.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-23340
- Published
- Sep 24, 2025
- Updated
- Sep 24, 2025
- Vendor
- DPDK Project
- Product
- NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit
- Classifications
- CWE-131, CWE-125, T1204.002
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- unauthenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Sep 24, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Sep 24, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.
Exploitability
Present is not the same as exploitable
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Is a vulnerable build present?
Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.
- Affected versionversion=All versions prior to CUDA Toolkit 13.0
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
Public exploit references
- Cisco Talos RELA-section proof of conceptproof of concept · demonstrated
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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