Description

NVIDIA Infrastructure Controller for Linux contains a vulnerability where an attacker could cause missing authentication for a critical function. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to data tampering, denial of service, and information disclosure.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.3",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-22T15:17:11.640Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-22T15:17:11.640Z",
  "executiveSummary": "The NVIDIA Infrastructure Controller for Linux is susceptible to a vulnerability involving missing authentication for a critical function. This security flaw allows an unauthenticated, remote attacker to interact with sensitive controller operations without verifying their identity. The lack of authorization checks facilitates unauthorized command execution or data manipulation, potentially leading to a complete compromise of the controller's integrity and availability.\nThe impact of this vulnerability is severe, encompassing data tampering, unauthorized information disclosure, and the potential for a denial-of-service (DoS) condition. By bypassing authentication mechanisms, an attacker gains unauthorized control over critical infrastructure management functions. The risk profile is high, as the vulnerability resides within the core management layer of the Infrastructure Controller, providing a significant vector for further exploitation within the system environment.\nExploitation does not require prior authentication, and success depends on the attacker's ability to reach the vulnerable endpoint via the network. Organizations deploying the NVIDIA Infrastructure Controller are at risk if the service is exposed to untrusted networks. Immediate mitigation via configuration or vendor-provided updates is essential to prevent unauthorized access and protect sensitive operational data.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of this vulnerability is an authentication omission in a critical function within the NVIDIA Infrastructure Controller for Linux. The software fails to implement or verify identity assertions for specific administrative or control-plane interfaces. Consequently, the controller does not enforce session validation or credential verification before executing requests directed at sensitive code paths, effectively rendering existing authentication mechanisms bypassable for targeted operations.\nThe exploitation method involves sending specially crafted network requests to the vulnerable API or management service endpoints of the Infrastructure Controller. Since the interface lacks mandatory authentication, the system processes these requests as if they originated from a trusted or authorized administrator. An attacker can leverage this by invoking internal functions that manage data processing, system configuration, or state management without being subjected to standard security gates.\nThe attack flow follows a direct interaction pattern: 1) The attacker performs reconnaissance to identify the management interface of the NVIDIA Infrastructure Controller. 2) The attacker crafts an exploit payload targeting the specific vulnerable function that lacks access controls. 3) The payload is transmitted via the network protocol supported by the controller. 4) The controller accepts the request, erroneously validating the command as authorized. 5) The function executes, leading to the desired malicious outcome—such as modifying system parameters (data tampering), extracting sensitive diagnostic or operational data (information disclosure), or intentionally causing a crash or resource exhaustion (denial of service).\nBecause this missing authentication occurs at the function level, the vulnerability bypasses secondary security layers that might otherwise be configured on the host. Post-exploitation, an attacker can maintain unauthorized control over the controller’s state. If the controller manages hardware resources or data paths, the attacker may pivot or inject malicious configurations that persist even after the initial connection is severed. The lack of integrity checking on the input parameters to these functions further exacerbates the potential for memory corruption or logical inconsistencies, ultimately leading to system instability or full operational control by the attacker."
}