CVE-2025-10581 Overview
A DLL hijacking vulnerability in Lenovo PC Manager allows a local authenticated user to execute code with elevated privileges. Lenovo identified the flaw during an internal security assessment and tracked it under advisory #432378. The weakness maps to [CWE-427] Uncontrolled Search Path Element, where the application loads a dynamic-link library from an untrusted location. Successful exploitation grants attackers execution in the context of the privileged PC Manager process on Windows systems.
Critical Impact
Local authenticated attackers can escalate privileges by planting a malicious DLL that Lenovo PC Manager loads at runtime, gaining high impact against confidentiality, integrity, and availability.
Affected Products
- Lenovo PC Manager (all versions prior to the fixed release referenced in Lenovo advisory #432378)
- Windows endpoints with Lenovo PC Manager installed
- Consumer and commercial Lenovo devices shipping PC Manager as bundled software
Discovery Timeline
- 2025-10-15 - CVE-2025-10581 published to NVD
- 2026-06-17 - Last updated in NVD database
Technical Details for CVE-2025-10581
Vulnerability Analysis
Lenovo PC Manager is a Windows utility that manages drivers, updates, and system health on Lenovo devices. The application runs components with elevated privileges to perform system maintenance tasks. This vulnerability arises when the application resolves and loads one or more DLLs without enforcing a fully qualified path or validating the library origin.
A local authenticated attacker who can write a file into a directory that appears in the application's DLL search order can place a malicious library there. When PC Manager loads the DLL, the attacker's code runs inside the privileged process. This yields a local privilege escalation from a standard user context to the account under which PC Manager executes.
The vulnerability requires local access and low privileges but no user interaction, according to the CVSS 4.0 vector. Because PC Manager is preinstalled on many Lenovo endpoints, the attack surface spans a large fleet of consumer and enterprise devices.
Root Cause
The root cause is uncontrolled search path element behavior [CWE-427]. PC Manager loads at least one DLL using a name-only or relative reference. Windows then resolves the name against its standard search order, which includes directories writable by lower-privileged users under some configurations. The application does not verify the publisher, path, or signature of the resolved library before mapping it into the process.
Attack Vector
An attacker who already holds a local account on the machine identifies a DLL that PC Manager loads insecurely. The attacker writes a crafted DLL with the expected export names into a directory that precedes the legitimate library in the Windows search order. When PC Manager, an update task, or a scheduled component starts, it loads the planted DLL. The DllMain entry point executes attacker-controlled code with the privileges of the PC Manager process.
No verified proof-of-concept exploit is publicly available. The vulnerability mechanism is described in Lenovo advisory #432378.
Detection Methods for CVE-2025-10581
Indicators of Compromise
- Unsigned or untrusted DLLs present in directories adjacent to LenovoPCManager binaries or in per-user writable paths that are resolved during library loading.
- Child processes spawned by PC Manager components that do not match the vendor's normal execution patterns, such as cmd.exe, powershell.exe, or arbitrary user binaries.
- Recent file writes of .dll files into application or update directories by non-administrative accounts.
Detection Strategies
- Hunt for image loads by PC Manager processes where the loaded module resides outside the official installation directory or is not signed by Lenovo.
- Correlate Sysmon Event ID 7 (ImageLoad) events with process integrity level to flag privileged loads of user-writable DLLs.
- Baseline the legitimate DLL set for each PC Manager version and alert on deviations after software updates.
Monitoring Recommendations
- Enable command-line, module load, and file creation auditing on Windows endpoints running Lenovo PC Manager.
- Forward endpoint telemetry to a centralized data lake and retain image-load events long enough to support retrospective hunting.
- Alert on process creation where the parent is a Lenovo PC Manager service and the child is an interpreter, shell, or LOLBin.
How to Mitigate CVE-2025-10581
Immediate Actions Required
- Update Lenovo PC Manager to the fixed version referenced in Lenovo advisory Lenovo Security Detail #432378.
- Inventory all Lenovo endpoints and confirm the installed PC Manager version across the fleet.
- Restrict local account privileges and remove unnecessary write permissions from directories in the Windows DLL search path.
Patch Information
Lenovo published remediation guidance under advisory #432378. Administrators should apply the vendor-supplied update on all affected Windows endpoints. Refer to the Lenovo Security Detail #432378 advisory for the specific fixed version and installation instructions.
Workarounds
- Uninstall Lenovo PC Manager on systems that do not require it until the patched build is deployed.
- Apply application control policies, such as Windows Defender Application Control or AppLocker, to block loading of unsigned DLLs by PC Manager processes.
- Audit and tighten NTFS permissions on the PC Manager installation directory and any parent paths writable by standard users.
# Example: query installed Lenovo PC Manager version on Windows via PowerShell
Get-CimInstance -ClassName Win32_Product |
Where-Object { $_.Name -like 'Lenovo PC Manager*' } |
Select-Object Name, Version, InstallLocation
Disclaimer: This content was generated using AI. While we strive for accuracy, please verify critical information with official sources.
