Nvidia Discloses High Severity Vulnerabilities in GPU Drivers

Severity: High (Score: 70.5)

Sources: Tweaktown, Overclock3D

Published: 2026-05-21 · Updated: 2026-05-21

Keywords: security, nvidia, vulnerabilities, bulletin, drivers, geforce, high

Severity indicators: vulnerabilities, issue, rce

Summary

Nvidia has issued a security bulletin detailing seven vulnerabilities in its GPU display drivers and VGPU software, affecting GeForce, RTX, Quadro, Tesla, and NVS users on Windows and Linux. The vulnerabilities range from medium to high severity, with potential impacts including denial of service, escalation of privileges, information disclosure, data tampering, and code execution. Users are advised to update to GeForce Game Ready Driver version 596.36 or newer, released on April 28, 2026, to mitigate these risks. Older hardware users should ensure their drivers are updated to version 582.53 or later. The vulnerabilities also affect Nvidia's vGPU software and Cloud Gaming drivers, highlighting the need for timely updates across all platforms. The latest driver version, 596.49, adds support for Forza Horizon 6. Nvidia emphasizes that the vulnerabilities have been addressed in the latest drivers, which have been available for over a month. Key Points: • Nvidia disclosed seven vulnerabilities in GPU drivers affecting multiple product lines. • Users must update to driver version 596.36 or newer to mitigate high-severity risks. • The vulnerabilities could lead to serious issues like data tampering and code execution.

Detailed Analysis

**Impact** Users of Nvidia GPU display drivers and vGPU software on Windows and Linux platforms are affected, including GeForce, RTX, Quadro, Tesla, NVS, and older hardware such as Maxwell, Volta, and Pascal GPUs. The vulnerabilities could lead to denial of service, escalation of privileges, information disclosure, data tampering, and code execution, impacting gamers, cloud gaming providers, and enterprise environments using vGPU technology globally. The scope includes individual consumers, gaming communities, and cloud gaming partners, with potential operational disruptions and data integrity risks. **Technical Details** The vulnerabilities involve use-after-free conditions in stack memory and other flaws exploitable via Nvidia GPU display drivers and vGPU software. Attack vectors include driver-level exploitation on Windows and Linux systems, potentially allowing code execution and privilege escalation. The affected drivers include versions prior to GeForce Game Ready Driver 596.36 (released April 28, 2026) and vGPU and Cloud Gaming software versions prior to April 2026 releases. No specific CVE identifiers or IOCs were provided in the articles. **Recommended Response** Update Nvidia GPU drivers to version 596.36 or newer for GeForce, RTX, Quadro, Tesla, and NVS products, and ensure vGPU and Cloud Gaming software are updated to the latest April 2026 releases. Users should apply updates via the Nvidia Driver Downloads page or the Nvidia App (GeForce Experience). Organizations operating cloud gaming services should verify deployment of updated software to mitigate exploitation risks. Monitor for unusual driver behavior or system instability indicative of exploitation attempts.

Source articles (2)

• NVIDIA issues Security Bulletin for GeForce users, so make sure you've updated your driver — Tweaktown · 2026-05-21
  NVIDIA's latest Security Bulletin details several new high-severity security vulnerabilities covering its wide range of GeForce RTX, Quadro, Tesla, and NVS products, related to its drivers for Windows…
• Nvidia Security Bullitin discloses “High Severity” vulnerabilities on old drivers — Overclock3D · 2026-05-19
  Nvidia has released a new security bulletin detailing seven new vulnerabilities in its GPU display drivers and VGPU software. These vulnerabilities range from medium to high severity, with several tha…

Timeline

• 2026-04-28 — GeForce Game Ready Driver 596.36 released: This driver version addresses multiple high-severity vulnerabilities disclosed by Nvidia.
• 2026-05-19 — Nvidia security bulletin published: Nvidia released a bulletin detailing seven vulnerabilities in its GPU drivers, urging users to update.
• 2026-05-21 — Latest driver version 596.49 released: The new driver version adds support for Forza Horizon 6 and addresses security vulnerabilities.

Related entities

• Nvidia (Company)
• Cwe-416 - Use After Free (Cwe)
• GeForce NOW (Platform)
• Linux (Platform)
• Windows (Platform)