CVE-2025-23266: Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit NVIDIA Container Toolkit For All Vulnerability

CRITICAL
Advisory Identifier: GHSA-vmg3-7v43-9g23
CVSS 9.0
CWE-426
Published
Advisory Summary

CVE-2025-23266 is a CRITICAL (CVSS 9.0) nvidia container toolkit for all vulnerability (CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path) affecting Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit libraries in the Go ecosystem. The issue involves nvidia container toolkit for all platforms contains an untrusted search path. Remediation is available by upgrading affected packages to version 1.17.8, 0.17.3, 25.3.2, 0.12.2.

CVE-2025-23266 at a Glance

CVE Identifier CVE-2025-23266
GHSA Identifier GHSA-vmg3-7v43-9g23
Severity CRITICAL
CVSS v3.1 Base Score 9.0
CWE Classification CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path
Affected Product Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit
Package Ecosystem Go
Published Date
Last Updated

Security Impact

CVSS: 9.0

The security impact metrics below are parsed directly from the CVSS v3.1 vector string (CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

Attack Vector Adjacent (AV:A)
Attack Complexity Low (AC:L)
Privileges Required Low (PR:L)
User Interaction None (UI:N)
Scope Changed (S:C)
Confidentiality High (C:H)
Integrity High (I:H)
Availability High (A:H)

How to Fix CVE-2025-23266

To remediate this vulnerability, upgrade all affected Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit dependencies to a patched release. Both direct and transitive dependencies should be checked, as frameworks or security libraries may pull in vulnerable versions transitively.

github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit fixed: 1.17.8
Upgrade github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit to 1.17.8
github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin fixed: 0.17.3
Upgrade github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin to 0.17.3
github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator fixed: 25.3.2
Upgrade github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator to 25.3.2
github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted fixed: 0.12.2
Upgrade github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted to 0.12.2
Verify Direct and Transitive Dependencies

Run the following command in your project directory to verify that all resolved dependencies use the patched release:

inspect dependencies for github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit

How to Check if You Are Affected

To determine whether your application is affected by CVE-2025-23266, inspect your project dependencies for Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit:

inspect dependencies for github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit

Analyze the terminal output to locate any version of Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit in your dependency tree. If any resolved version matches the vulnerable ranges listed in the table below (for example, versions earlier than 1.17.8), your application is affected.

Note: Verify declared build manifests and deployed runtime container environments.

Technical Details

Vulnerability Mechanism & Technical Analysis

This vulnerability is classified under CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path, where the product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control. In Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit, software state validation or input boundaries are circumvented during processing. Review the official source advisory statement below for specific affected components, classes, and reproduction details.

Source Advisory Statement

NVIDIA Container Toolkit for all platforms contains a vulnerability in some hooks used to initialize the container, where an attacker could execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to escalation of privileges, data tampering, information disclosure, and denial of service.

CVE-2025-23266 Affected Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit Versions

4 component(s)
Fixed Versions:
1.17.80.17.325.3.20.12.2
Product / Package Ecosystem Affected Versions Fixed Version
github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit
Go
< 1.17.8
1.17.8
github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin
Go
< 0.17.3
0.17.3
github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator
Go
< 25.3.2
25.3.2
github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted
Go
< 0.12.2
0.12.2

References

Frequently Asked Questions

What is CVE-2025-23266?
CVE-2025-23266 is a security vulnerability in Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit involving NVIDIA Container Toolkit for all platforms contains an Untrusted Search Path under CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path.
Which Github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia container toolkit versions are affected?
Affected versions include releases prior to 1.17.8, 0.17.3, 25.3.2, 0.12.2 across affected packages: github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit, github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin, github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator, github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted.
What version fixes CVE-2025-23266?
Upgrading to 1.17.8, 0.17.3, 25.3.2, 0.12.2 (or the latest patched release for your respective branch) resolves the vulnerability.
Is github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit affected?
Yes, github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit is affected in releases prior to 1.17.8. Upgrade your dependency to 1.17.8 or later.
Is github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin affected?
Yes, github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin is affected in releases prior to 0.17.3. Upgrade your dependency to 0.17.3 or later.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2025-23266?
CVE-2025-23266 has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 9.0 (CRITICAL) with vector string CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H.
What CWE is associated with CVE-2025-23266?
CVE-2025-23266 is classified under CWE-426: Untrusted Search Path (The product searches for critical resources using an externally-supplied search path that can point to resources that are not under the product's direct control.).
How can I check Go dependencies for CVE-2025-23266?
Run the dependency tree command: 'inspect dependencies for github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit'. This command lists direct and transitive dependencies in your build configuration so you can verify if a vulnerable version is resolved.
Machine-readable OSV JSON OSV v1.5 Schema
Normalized schema output
{
  "schema_version" : "1.4.0",
  "id" : "GHSA-vmg3-7v43-9g23",
  "modified" : "2025-10-23T20:16:38Z",
  "published" : "2025-07-17T21:32:15Z",
  "aliases" : [ "CVE-2025-23266" ],
  "summary" : "NVIDIA Container Toolkit for all platforms contains an Untrusted Search Path",
  "details" : "NVIDIA Container Toolkit for all platforms contains a vulnerability in some hooks used to initialize the container, where an attacker could execute arbitrary code with elevated permissions. A successful exploit of this vulnerability might lead to escalation of privileges, data tampering, information disclosure, and denial of service.",
  "severity" : [ {
    "type" : "CVSS_V3",
    "score" : "CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H"
  } ],
  "affected" : [ {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "1.17.8"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.17.3"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "25.3.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  }, {
    "package" : {
      "ecosystem" : "Go",
      "name" : "github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted"
    },
    "ranges" : [ {
      "type" : "ECOSYSTEM",
      "events" : [ {
        "introduced" : "0"
      }, {
        "fixed" : "0.12.2"
      } ]
    } ]
  } ],
  "references" : [ {
    "type" : "ADVISORY",
    "url" : "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-23266"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/NVIDIA/gpu-operator"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/NVIDIA/k8s-device-plugin"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/NVIDIA/mig-parted"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://github.com/NVIDIA/nvidia-container-toolkit"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://kidbomb.github.io/posts/nvidia-container-escape-cve-2025-23266"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://kidbomb.github.io/posts/nvidia-container-escape-cve-2025-23266-part-2"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44818412"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://nvidia.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/5659"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://pkg.go.dev/vuln/GO-2025-3992"
  }, {
    "type" : "WEB",
    "url" : "https://www.wiz.io/blog/nvidia-ai-vulnerability-cve-2025-23266-nvidiascape"
  } ],
  "database_specific" : {
    "cwe_ids" : [ "CWE-426" ],
    "severity" : "CRITICAL",
    "github_reviewed" : true,
    "github_reviewed_at" : "2025-09-30T17:11:03Z",
    "nvd_published_at" : "2025-07-17T20:15:28Z"
  }
}