Privilege escalation via unsanitized GPU firmware commands
Published Jul 10, 2026 · Updated Jul 10, 2026
Improper privilege handling in Imagination Technologies Graphics DDK 26.1 RTM1 and earlier allows local users to escalate privileges. The rgxfw_hwperf_hw firmware path accepts kernel-accessible pointers and GPU register addresses from host-VM commands without sanitizing the pointers or validating the addresses. Reaching the flaw requires kernel software running inside a host VM; crafted firmware commands can write GPU registers and cross the intended host-kernel privilege boundary.
Summary
What happened
Improper privilege handling in Imagination Technologies Graphics DDK 26.1 RTM1 and earlier allows local users to escalate privileges. The rgxfw_hwperf_hw firmware path accepts kernel-accessible pointers and GPU register addresses from host-VM commands without sanitizing the pointers or validating the addresses. Reaching the flaw requires kernel software running inside a host VM; crafted firmware commands can write GPU registers and cross the intended host-kernel privilege boundary.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2026-45196
- Published
- Jul 10, 2026
- Updated
- Jul 10, 2026
- Vendor
- Imagination Technologies
- Product
- Graphics DDK
- Classifications
- CWE-280, CAPEC-480, T1611
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- authenticated
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Jul 10, 2026CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Jul 10, 2026Record 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=1.18 RTM2
- Affected versionversion=23.2 RTM2
- Affected versionversion=24.2 RTM2
- Affected versionversion=25.1 RTM2 <=25.3 RTM
- Affected versionversion=26.1 RTM1
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
No public exploit references are available in this record.
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Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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