dbcve.org
Gpu Display DriverApplication · Nvidia

CVE-2021-1075

HIGH · 7.3 CVSS v3.1 Published 2021-04-21
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 427.33 / 452.96 or later.
See remediation →
75/100
Remediation priority · High
Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
NVIDIA Windows GPU Display Driver for Windows, all versions, contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer (nvlddmkm.sys) handler for DxgkDdiEscape where the program dereferences a pointer that contains a location for memory that is no longer valid, which may lead to code execution, denial of service, or escalation of privileges. Attacker does not have any control over the information and may conduct limited data modification.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

Use-after-free or invalid pointer dereference vulnerability in NVIDIA's Windows GPU display driver (nvlddmkm.sys) kernel-mode handler for DxgkDdiEscape. The driver dereferences a stale pointer to invalid memory, which can be exploited for code execution, denial of service, or privilege escalation. Attacker has limited control over modified data.

MitigationApply NVIDIA's patched GPU display driver update. Since all versions are affected, update to a version that includes the security fix for this vulnerability.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
Gpu Display DriverApplication
Affected:>= 418, < 427.33>= 450, < 452.96>= 460, < 462.31>= 465, < 466.11

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Local
Complexity
Low
Privileges
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
None
Integrity
Low
Availability
High

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:L/A:H

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Locate the NVIDIA kernel-mode driver file
    Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32\Drivers\ and locate the file named nvlddmkm.sys, or right-click the NVIDIA GPU device in Device Manager, select Properties, go to the Driver tab, and click Driver Details to see the driver file path.
    Affected if The file nvlddmkm.sys exists on the system, indicating the NVIDIA display driver is installed.
  2. Retrieve the driver file version
    Right-click nvlddmkm.sys, select Properties, then go to the Details tab and view the Product Version or File Version field. Alternatively, open Command Prompt and run: wmic datafile where "name='C:\\Windows\\System32\\Drivers\\nvlddmkm.sys'" get Version
    Affected if A version number is returned, showing the currently installed NVIDIA display driver version.
  3. Compare against affected version ranges
    Compare the installed version to these affected ranges: 418.XX through 427.32, 450.XX through 452.95, 460.XX through 462.30, or 465.XX through 466.10. Note the first two digit groups (e.g., 460.89) for comparison.
    Affected if The installed version falls within any of these ranges: >=418 and <427.33, OR >=450 and <452.96, OR >=460 and <462.31, OR >=465 and <466.11.
  4. Verify the DxgkDdiEscape handler is in use
    This is a kernel-level driver function. If the NVIDIA GPU is active and driving display output (primary or secondary monitor), the vulnerable code path in DxgkDdiEscape is likely being executed. Check Device Manager to confirm the NVIDIA GPU is enabled and active.
    Affected if The NVIDIA GPU is enabled as a display adapter and actively driving display output.

The system is affected if NVIDIA's display driver is installed with a version number matching any of the four vulnerable ranges and the GPU is actively driving display output.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

From vendor data
Upgrade available Upgrade to 427.33 / 452.96 / 462.31 or later
Fixed in 427.33452.96462.31
Interim mitigation

Apply NVIDIA's patched GPU display driver update. Since all versions are affected, update to a version that includes the security fix for this vulnerability.

Fix this in Gpu Display Driver Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation1.0 h
  • Implementation1.0 h
  • Testing1.0 h
  • Review / QA1.0 h
4.0 hours of engineering $750
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2021-1075 in production — separate from our analysis above.

No notes yet

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
  • Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
  • No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data