Here we are again. NVIDIA has today sent out a security bulletin to inform users on Linux and Windows to ensure your GPU drivers are up to date due to freshly revealed security problems.
The issues can result in information disclosure, data tampering, and denial of service. As always, even if you think you're not vulnerable for whatever reason, upgrading is highly recommended now.
Here's those that are specific to Linux:
| CVE ID | Description | Base Score | Vector |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVE‑2021‑1090 | NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer (nvlddmkm.sys) handler for control calls where the software reads or writes to a buffer by using an index or pointer that references a memory location after the end of the buffer, which may lead to data tampering or denial of service. | 7.1 | AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:H |
| CVE‑2021‑1093 | NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in firmware where the driver contains an assert() or similar statement that can be triggered by an attacker, which leads to an application exit or other behavior that is more severe than necessary, and may lead to denial of service or system crash. | 6.2 | AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
| CVE‑2021‑1094 | NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer (nvlddmkm.sys) handler for DxgkDdiEscape where an out of bounds array access may lead to denial of service or information disclosure. | 6.1 | AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:N/A:H |
| CVE‑2021‑1095 | NVIDIA GPU Display Driver for Windows and Linux contains a vulnerability in the kernel mode layer (nvlddmkm.sys) handlers for all control calls with embedded parameters where dereferencing an untrusted pointer may lead to denial of service. | 5.5 | AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H |
Those are what's relevent to us normal desktop users. However there's also issues identified in their NVIDIA vGPU Software too.
How to know if you're okay? NVIDIA also detailed what driver versions are good:
| Software Product | Operating System | Driver Branch | Affected Driver Versions | Updated Driver Version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GeForce | Linux | R470 | All versions | 470.57.02 |
| R460 | All versions prior to 460.91.03 | 460.91.03 | ||
| NVIDIA RTX/Quadro, NVS | Linux | R470 | All versions | 470.57.02 |
| R460 | All versions prior to 460.91.03 | 460.91.03 | ||
| R390 | All versions prior to 390.144 | 390.144 |
In other words, grabbing the very latest driver (NVIDIA 470.57.02 from July 20) is likely your best choice and with all the new features too, it's a good one to try out regardless.
Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
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14 comments
Ah, that's why the main Ubuntu repositories got updated versions of the Nvidia driver with uncharacteristic swiftness today.
1 Likes, Who?
slaapliedje Jul 21, 2021
Ah, that's why the main Ubuntu repositories got updated versions of the Nvidia driver with uncharacteristic swiftness today.Debian is in freeze, but should allow this as an exception. Hopefully they end up with the 470 release in bullseye.
0 Likes
These are all local vulnerabilities - can't be exploited remotely. I, uh, can't really get very excited by such things unless they're feasibly chained with a remote exploit.
1 Likes, Who?
Updated to 470.57.02, seems to be working. It was a solid excuse for me to migrate on a new stable driver branch.
1 Likes, Who?
These are all local vulnerabilities - can't be exploited remotely. I, uh, can't really get very excited by such things unless they're feasibly chained with a remote exploit.You say that now, but wait till your 10 year old daughter hacks your computer and says your data doesn't get unransomed until she gets all the cookies.
5 Likes, Who?
470.57.02 may fix some issues and bring DLSS but first it has bugs (my video card stays 15 degrees higher than usual in idle mode than it does with 465.31) and secondly, three digits for the version means it's a beta driver. No beta driver supports Nvidia Encoding also known as H265 NVENC which I use very often with Handbrake. There's an easy way to spot nvidia's fallacy regarding that driver - run handbrake and make it convert a large video file (for instance H264) with H265 NVENC. If the CPU goes to 100% whereas the video card keeps its normal idle temperature, that means the driver in question doesn't support NVENC. NVENC means that conversion is processed by both CPU and GPU, but mostly by the GPU.
To me the unavailability of NVENC is a deal breaker.
To me the unavailability of NVENC is a deal breaker.
1 Likes, Who?
470.57.02 may fix some issues and bring DLSS but first it has bugs (my video card stays 15 degrees higher than usual in idle mode than it does with 465.31) and secondly, three digits for the version means it's a beta driver. No beta driver supports Nvidia Encoding also known as H265 NVENC which I use very often with Handbrake. There's an easy way to spot nvidia's fallacy regarding that driver - run handbrake and make it convert a large video file (for instance H264) with H265 NVENC. If the CPU goes to 100% whereas the video card keeps its normal idle temperature, that means the driver in question doesn't support NVENC. NVENC means that conversion is processed by both CPU and GPU, but mostly by the GPU.
To me the unavailability of NVENC is a deal breaker.
I've run into some issues myself... I've noticed my laptop will power off completely, no warning. It doesn't happen very often, and (maybe around 4-5 times now) and most of the time it's when I'm playing a game... Now I'm wondering if it's due to this driver update. Unfortunately, I can't be certain when it started. It's recent, but I couldn't say that it lines up with this driver for sure.
Doesn't seem to happen (so far) when using Nvidia mode. Just when I have Optimus enabled, which strongly suggests it's strictly a software issue.
So assuming the timing lines up, I may also be having some issues with this driver.
My desktop is fine with this driver so far.
0 Likes
Doesn't seem to happen (so far) when using Nvidia mode. Just when I have Optimus enabledClearly we need a better, improved version of Optimus. We could call it "Optimus Prime".
2 Likes, Who?
Doesn't seem to happen (so far) when using Nvidia mode. Just when I have Optimus enabledClearly we need a better, improved version of Optimus. We could call it "Optimus Prime".
Turns out that booting into Nvidia only (performance) mode it still happens. Regardless, I approve of your suggestion.
0 Likes
I really wonder why Linux players keep buying nVIDIA GPUs despite these being the worst option we have on Linux for at least half a dozen years already…
Nah. Discrete graphics are crap on both Nvidia and AMD - that's just a Linux issue.
But proper GPUs? Doesn't really matter hugely which you go for now, tbh. They're both rock solid options. Sure, I prefer AMD because it's so integrated and there's nothing to really think about, but once you add the Nvidia driver and tick a box in nvidia-settings, it's pretty much the same story. Fire and forget.
0 Likes
I really wonder why Linux players keep buying nVIDIA GPUs despite these being the worst option we have on Linux for at least half a dozen years already…
AMD hasn't been a viable gaming option in laptops for years as there hasn't been much available in the way of gaming laptops with AMD dGPU's. Fortunately, it sounds like that might be finally starting to change. Sounds like there will be a version of the Lenovo Legion in the coming months that will have an AMD dGPU.
Also, it wasn't until recently that for the first time in a while that AMD has become competitive with Nvidia in terms of performance, which is great.
0 Likes
Updated to 470.57.02, seems to be working. It was a solid excuse for me to migrate on a new stable driver branch.
Spoke too soon. Browsers started doing small freezes while scrolling content and their video playback also has small freezes and stutters. Rolling back the old 460 driver to check if 470 was indeed the cause.
0 Likes
InhaleOblivion Jul 26, 2021
Logged on and my distro auto updated to 470.57.02
0 Likes
that's just a Linux issue
Mmm, yes and no. It's an AMD issue and also a DRIVER issue but NOT a hardware issue. And no, I'm not a "fan" of any of the companies, I just use whatever works best and faster. For over 10 years I used about 12 different AMD cards - back when I was a Windows user. There's a lot I can say about AMD but they all had one thing in common: too hot and too slow, all AMD failed at AA and AF + the R-series had a bad driver, constantly crashing. Since 2015 (when I migrated to linux) I'm with nvidia and all of the problems I ever had with AMD cards disappeared, including the crashing driver. I also don't have to look at games' requirements anymore - I just run and play them. :D The ONLY 2 AMD cards from those times that I ever owned that performed better than any nvidia were Radeon 9550 with a missing fan and later - HD6670.
As for the nvidia security issues, I'm pretty sure that for these issues to work there must be certain conditions met (just like with many of the linux kernel sec. issues), so I for one have nothing to worry about.
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