CVE-2025-0028: AMD PMF Information Disclosure Flaw

CVE-2025-0028 Overview

CVE-2025-0028 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the AMD Platform Management Framework (PMF). An unchecked return value within the PMF driver allows an authenticated local attacker to read or modify arbitrary memory addresses. Successful exploitation can lead to loss of confidentiality, integrity, and availability on affected systems. The flaw is categorized under [CWE-252: Unchecked Return Value] and was disclosed by AMD in security bulletin AMD-SB-4015. Because PMF runs at a privileged level on AMD client platforms, exploitation provides an attacker with the ability to corrupt kernel state or disclose sensitive data from kernel memory.

Critical Impact

An authenticated local attacker can read or modify arbitrary memory through the AMD PMF driver, enabling privilege escalation and full system compromise on affected AMD platforms.

Affected Products

• AMD Platform Management Framework (PMF) driver
• AMD client platforms shipping the PMF software stack
• See AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-4015 for the authoritative list of affected SKUs and driver versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-05-15 - CVE-2025-0028 published to NVD
• 2026-05-15 - Last updated in NVD database
• Reference - AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-4015

Technical Details for CVE-2025-0028

Vulnerability Analysis

The AMD Platform Management Framework is a userspace and kernel-mode stack that coordinates thermal, power, and performance telemetry on AMD client systems. The PMF driver exposes interfaces that accept parameters from less-privileged callers. Within one of these code paths, the driver invokes an internal function but does not validate the function's return value before acting on its output. The driver subsequently treats an attacker-influenceable pointer or status as valid, leading to a memory access operation against an address the attacker controls. The result is an arbitrary read or arbitrary write primitive executed at the driver's privilege level.

Root Cause

The root cause is an instance of [CWE-252: Unchecked Return Value]. The driver assumes that an internal call always succeeds and proceeds without inspecting the returned status code. When the underlying operation fails or returns attacker-controlled data, the driver continues execution using uninitialized or unvalidated state. This state is then dereferenced or written to, producing the arbitrary memory access primitive. The defect is a logic flaw in defensive coding rather than a classic memory-safety bug such as a buffer overflow.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access and low privileges on the target. An attacker with the ability to load code as a standard user can open a handle to the PMF driver and issue crafted requests that drive the vulnerable code path. By influencing the inputs that determine the unchecked return value, the attacker steers the driver into performing reads or writes against memory locations of their choice. This primitive is sufficient to corrupt kernel structures, disable security mitigations, or disclose secrets such as credential material from kernel memory. No user interaction is required. Vulnerability mechanism details are documented in the AMD advisory; no public proof-of-concept exploit code is available at this time.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-0028

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected user-mode processes opening handles to the AMD PMF device interface, particularly from non-system or non-OEM binaries.
• Kernel crashes, bug checks, or memory corruption events that correlate with activity from the PMF driver.
• New or unsigned binaries enumerating AMD power management IOCTLs shortly after initial access.

Detection Strategies

• Monitor driver IOCTL telemetry for anomalous request patterns directed at the PMF driver, especially from non-administrative processes.
• Use endpoint detection telemetry to flag local privilege escalation sequences that follow PMF driver interaction.
• Correlate process creation events with subsequent token elevation or kernel object modification to identify post-exploitation behavior.

Monitoring Recommendations

• Inventory all endpoints running AMD client platforms and confirm the installed PMF driver version against the fixed versions listed in AMD-SB-4015.
• Alert on installation or sideloading of older, vulnerable PMF driver versions, including bring-your-own-vulnerable-driver scenarios.
• Audit Windows Event Logs for driver load events referencing PMF components signed prior to the fix.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-0028

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the fixed AMD PMF driver and firmware updates referenced in AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-4015 to every affected endpoint.
• Restrict local logon rights and remove unnecessary local administrator privileges to reduce the attacker population that can reach the driver.
• Enable Microsoft's vulnerable driver blocklist on Windows systems to prevent downgrade attacks that reintroduce the unpatched driver.

Patch Information

AMD has released updated PMF driver and platform firmware versions addressing CVE-2025-0028. Refer to AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-4015 for the specific fixed versions and OEM distribution guidance. Endpoints should receive updates through the OEM update channel or AMD chipset software, depending on platform vendor policy.

Workarounds

• No vendor-supplied workaround replaces patching; the fixed driver should be deployed as soon as it is available from the system OEM.
• Where immediate patching is not possible, restrict access to the PMF device interface through application allowlisting and least-privilege controls.
• Monitor for and block known-vulnerable PMF driver hashes using driver allowlisting or Windows Defender Application Control policies.