CVE-2025-0046: Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

CVE-2025-0046 Overview

CVE-2025-0046 is a local privilege escalation vulnerability caused by incorrect directory permissions [CWE-732]. A local user with limited privileges can abuse the misconfigured directory to escalate privileges and potentially execute arbitrary code. AMD disclosed the issue in security bulletin AMD-SB-8016.

Exploitation requires local access, low privileges, and user interaction. The flaw affects confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host once abused. Because the attack executes in the local context, it is well suited for post-compromise activity where an attacker already holds a foothold on a standard user account.

Critical Impact
A local attacker who exploits the incorrect directory permissions can gain elevated privileges and run arbitrary code on the affected system.

Affected Products

AMD products listed in bulletin AMD-SB-8016 (refer to the vendor advisory for the authoritative component and version list)

Discovery Timeline

2026-08-11 - CVE-2025-0046 published to NVD
2026-08-12 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-0046

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-732: Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource. A directory used by an affected AMD software component is created or shipped with permissions that permit modification by non-privileged local users. Because that directory is later accessed by a higher-privileged process, a local attacker can influence what that process loads or executes.

Successful exploitation yields arbitrary code execution in a more privileged context. The impact scope covers confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the host, consistent with a full local privilege escalation. The attack requires user interaction, so an attacker typically pairs the flaw with a social-engineering step or triggers it during a legitimate application workflow.

Root Cause

The root cause is an over-permissive access control list on a directory that a privileged process trusts. When a resource such as a binary, library, configuration file, or update payload can be written by a low-privileged account, the trust boundary between user and privileged code is broken. See the AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-8016 for component-specific detail.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is local. A user with a standard account writes attacker-controlled content into the affected directory. When the privileged component subsequently loads, executes, or parses that content, the attacker's code runs with elevated rights. No verified public exploit is available at the time of writing, and the vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog.

No verified proof-of-concept code has been published. Refer to the vendor advisory for authoritative technical details on the affected directory and privileged process.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-0046

Indicators of Compromise

Unexpected file writes by non-privileged users into directories owned or used by AMD driver, firmware update, or management components.
New or modified executables, DLLs, or configuration files inside AMD software installation paths that were not delivered by a signed vendor installer.
Privileged AMD service or update processes loading modules from user-writable locations.

Detection Strategies

Audit filesystem ACLs on AMD software directories and flag any entry granting write access to Users, Authenticated Users, or equivalent low-privilege groups.
Correlate process creation events where a privileged AMD binary loads code from a path previously written by a standard user account.
Baseline the set of files inside vendor directories and alert on additions or modifications outside of scheduled update windows.

Monitoring Recommendations

Enable file integrity monitoring on AMD software installation directories and log write operations with the acting user context.
Collect and retain process-lineage telemetry so parent-child relationships between low-privilege writers and high-privilege loaders can be reconstructed.
Forward endpoint audit logs to a central platform and alert on privileged process execution originating from user-writable paths.

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-0046

Immediate Actions Required

Apply the fixed versions listed in AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-8016 as soon as they are available for the affected platform.
Inventory endpoints running AMD software components referenced in the bulletin and prioritize systems where multiple users share a host.
Restrict interactive local access on affected systems until the patch is deployed.

Patch Information

AMD publishes fixed component versions through bulletin AMD-SB-8016. Administrators should consult the advisory for exact package names and versions, then deploy through their standard driver or firmware update pipeline. Validate that the patched installer sets correct directory permissions after upgrade.

Workarounds

Manually tighten ACLs on the affected directory so only SYSTEM and Administrators retain write access, if the vendor advisory identifies a specific path.
Remove standard users from any local group that grants write access to AMD software directories.
Enforce application allowlisting so that only vendor-signed binaries can execute from AMD software paths.

bash

# Example: audit and restrict directory permissions on Windows (PowerShell)
# Replace <PATH> with the directory identified in AMD-SB-8016
Get-Acl "<PATH>" | Format-List
icacls "<PATH>" /inheritance:r
icacls "<PATH>" /grant:r "SYSTEM:(OI)(CI)F" "Administrators:(OI)(CI)F" "Users:(OI)(CI)RX"