CVE-2017-9605
MEDIUMDescription
The vmw_gb_surface_define_ioctl function (accessible via DRM_IOCTL_VMW_GB_SURFACE_CREATE) in drivers/gpu/drm/vmwgfx/vmwgfx_surface.c in the Linux kernel through 4.11.4 defines a backup_handle variable but does not give it an initial value. If one attempts to create a GB surface, with a previously allocated DMA buffer to be used as a backup buffer, the backup_handle variable does not get written to and is then later returned to user space, allowing local users to obtain sensitive information from uninitialized kernel memory via a crafted ioctl call.
How to fix
Remediation is compiled from vendor and distribution security advisories. Always confirm against the linked source for your exact version and platform.
CVSS v3 Vector
Exploitability
Impact
CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
Exploit Intelligence
Low risk: more likely to be exploited than 30% of all known CVEs.
References
Related Vulnerabilities
Other CWE-200 (Information Exposure) vulnerabilities, ordered by exploit likelihood. View all
| CVE | Severity | CVSS | EPSS | Exploited | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVE-2024-24919 | High | 8.6 | 100% | KEV + Ransom | - |
| CVE-2020-14181 | Medium | 5.3 | 100% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2021-34429 | Medium | 5.3 | 99% | - | Fix |
| CVE-2018-11409 | Medium | 5.3 | 98% | - | - |
| CVE-2021-41277 | Critical | 10.0 | 97% | KEV | - |
| CVE-2016-2183 | High | 7.5 | 96% | - | Fix |
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Start freeThis product uses NVD data but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. EPSS scores courtesy of FIRST.org (https://www.first.org/epss). Source: CISA KEV Catalog. Data as of 2026-05-13.