CVE-2025-33231: 
CUDA Toolkit vulnerability analysis and mitigation

CVE-2025-33231 is a DLL search order hijacking vulnerability in NVIDIA Nsight Systems for Windows, classified under CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element). The vulnerability exists in the application's DLL loading mechanism, where insecure DLL search paths can be exploited by a local attacker to load a malicious DLL. It affects NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit versions prior to 13.1.0 on Windows. The CVE was published on January 20, 2026, with NIST initial analysis completed on February 2, 2026. NVIDIA assigned a CVSS v3.1 base score of 6.7 (Medium) (NVIDIA Advisory).

The root cause is CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element): NVIDIA Nsight Systems for Windows does not properly restrict the directories searched when loading DLLs, allowing an attacker to place a malicious DLL in a location that the application searches before the legitimate DLL path. Exploitation requires local access with low privileges and user interaction (e.g., a victim launching the application), making it a classic DLL search order hijacking scenario mapped to MITRE ATT&CK technique T1574.001 (DLL Search Order Hijacking). The attack complexity is rated High, as the attacker must position the malicious DLL in the correct search path location before the application is executed (NVIDIA Advisory, Feedly).

Successful exploitation can lead to arbitrary code execution in the context of the user running NVIDIA Nsight Systems, with potential for privilege escalation, data tampering, denial of service, and information disclosure. Because the vulnerability can result in code execution under the application's security context, an attacker could leverage it for lateral movement or persistence on the compromised Windows host. All three pillars of the CIA triad are rated High impact by NVIDIA (NVIDIA Advisory, SecurityOnline).

1. Reconnaissance: Identify a target Windows system with NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit (including Nsight Systems) installed at a version prior to 13.1.0.
2. Identify DLL search paths: Analyze the Nsight Systems application binary (e.g., using tools like Process Monitor or Dependency Walker) to enumerate the DLL search order and identify directories searched before the legitimate DLL location.
3. Place malicious DLL: Write a crafted malicious DLL with the same name as a DLL loaded by Nsight Systems into a directory that appears earlier in the application's search path (e.g., the application's working directory or a user-writable directory in the PATH).
4. Trigger execution: Wait for or socially engineer the victim user to launch NVIDIA Nsight Systems, causing the application to load the attacker-controlled DLL instead of the legitimate one.
5. Achieve code execution: The malicious DLL executes arbitrary code in the context of the user running Nsight Systems, potentially enabling privilege escalation, persistence, or further lateral movement (NVIDIA Advisory, Feedly).

• File System: Unexpected DLL files placed in the NVIDIA Nsight Systems installation directory, working directory, or user-writable directories in the system PATH that match names of DLLs legitimately loaded by Nsight Systems.
• Process: Unusual child processes spawned by the Nsight Systems executable (e.g., cmd.exe, powershell.exe, network tools) shortly after application launch.
• Logs: Windows Event Logs (Security/Application) showing unexpected module loads or process creation events originating from the Nsight Systems process.
• Network: Unexpected outbound network connections initiated by the Nsight Systems process to external IP addresses, which may indicate a reverse shell or C2 callback from a malicious DLL payload.

NVIDIA has released a patch in CUDA Toolkit version 13.1.0, which includes an updated Nsight Systems for Windows that resolves the insecure DLL search path issue. Users should update to CUDA Toolkit 13.1.0 or later as the primary remediation. As interim workarounds: restrict file system write permissions on directories in the DLL search path to prevent unprivileged users from placing malicious DLLs; implement application whitelisting (e.g., via Windows Defender Application Control) to control which DLLs can be loaded; and limit local system access to trusted users only (NVIDIA Advisory).

Security news outlets including SecurityOnline and GBHackers covered the vulnerability as part of broader reporting on NVIDIA CUDA Toolkit security flaws in January 2026, noting the potential for code execution and privilege escalation. Tenable added detection coverage via their plugin pipeline. Community reaction has been measured given the Medium CVSS score, local-only attack vector, and absence of public exploits (SecurityOnline, GBHackers).