CVE-2022-21816 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Learn about CVE-2022-21816 impacting NVIDIA Virtual GPU Software, allowing guest OS users to trigger GPU interrupt storms, resulting in denial of service. Find mitigation strategies.
NVIDIA vGPU software contains a vulnerability in the Virtual GPU Manager (nvidia.ko), allowing a user in the guest OS to generate a GPU interrupt storm on the hypervisor host, resulting in a denial of service.
Understanding CVE-2022-21816
This vulnerability impacts NVIDIA Virtual GPU Software and NVIDIA Cloud Gaming, potentially leading to service disruption due to a denial of service attack.
What is CVE-2022-21816?
CVE-2022-21816 is a vulnerability in NVIDIA vGPU software that enables a user in a guest OS to trigger a GPU interrupt storm on the hypervisor host, causing a denial of service on affected systems.
The Impact of CVE-2022-21816
The vulnerability poses a moderate impact with a base score of 5.5 (Medium severity) according to CVSS v3.1 metrics. It can result in a high availability impact on the affected systems.
Technical Details of CVE-2022-21816
The following are the technical details associated with CVE-2022-21816:
Vulnerability Description
The vulnerability lies in the Virtual GPU Manager (nvidia.ko) of NVIDIA vGPU software, allowing unauthorized interruption storms by a user in the guest OS.
Affected Systems and Versions
The impacted products include NVIDIA Virtual GPU Software and NVIDIA Cloud Gaming versions 13.x (prior to 13.2), 11.x (prior to 11.7), and 8.x (prior to 8.10).
Exploitation Mechanism
Exploiting this vulnerability requires access to the guest OS to manipulate the Virtual GPU Manager, leading to GPU interrupt storms on the hypervisor host.
Mitigation and Prevention
To address CVE-2022-21816, consider the following mitigation strategies:
Immediate Steps to Take
- Update NVIDIA vGPU software to version 13.2 or higher to eliminate the vulnerability.
- Monitor and restrict user permissions on the guest OS to prevent unauthorized GPU interruptions.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly monitor for security advisories and updates from NVIDIA to stay informed about potential vulnerabilities.
- Implement strict access controls within the virtualized environment to mitigate the risk of unauthorized interruptions.
Patching and Updates
Deploy patches and updates provided by NVIDIA for the Virtual GPU Manager to address security vulnerabilities and enhance system resilience.