CVE-2025-54517: AMD Driver Privilege Escalation Flaw

CVE-2025-54517 Overview

CVE-2025-54517 is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the AMD AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA ioctl handler. A local authenticated user can send a crafted ioctl request to trigger a memory write outside the bounds of an allocated buffer. Successful exploitation can lead to privilege escalation through code execution in the affected driver context.

The issue is tracked under CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write and is documented in AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-6027.

Critical Impact

A local user with low privileges can corrupt kernel memory via the AMD GPU virtualization ioctl interface, leading to privilege escalation and arbitrary code execution.

Affected Products

• AMD GPU virtualization driver components exposing the AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA ioctl
• See AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-6027 for the authoritative list of affected products and versions

Discovery Timeline

• 2026-05-15 - CVE-2025-54517 published to NVD
• 2026-05-15 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2025-54517

Vulnerability Analysis

The vulnerability resides in the AMD driver's ioctl dispatch path that services the AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA command. The handler processes user-supplied parameters and writes diagnostic data into a buffer without sufficiently validating size or offset constraints. As a result, the handler writes beyond the bounds of the destination buffer.

Because the affected code path runs in a privileged driver context, an out-of-bounds write can corrupt adjacent kernel structures. Attackers can leverage that corruption to redirect execution flow or alter security-relevant data. The vendor characterizes the outcome as privilege escalation through remote code execution within the driver context.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient bounds checking on attacker-controlled input passed to the AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA ioctl handler [CWE-787]. The handler trusts size or index parameters supplied from user space, which allows writes past the end of the allocated diagnostic buffer.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access and low privileges, but no user interaction. An attacker with the ability to open the AMD driver device node and issue ioctl calls can deliver the crafted AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA request. Sandboxed processes or low-privileged service accounts that retain device access are viable launch points for escalation.

No public proof-of-concept has been published at the time of this writing. The vulnerability is not listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog. Refer to AMD-SB-6027 for technical details from the vendor.

Detection Methods for CVE-2025-54517

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected processes opening the AMD GPU virtualization device node and issuing AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA ioctls
• Kernel oops, panic, or driver crash entries referencing the AMD GPU driver in system logs
• New privileged processes or token elevation following ioctl activity from a low-privileged account

Detection Strategies

• Monitor ioctl calls against the AMD GPU device interface and alert on uncommon command codes such as AMDGV_CMD_GET_DIAG_DATA originating from non-administrative users
• Correlate driver crash telemetry with subsequent privilege changes on the same host to surface exploitation attempts
• Compare installed AMD driver versions against the fixed builds listed in AMD-SB-6027 to flag vulnerable systems

Monitoring Recommendations

• Forward kernel and driver logs to a central SIEM and build alerts for AMD GPU driver faults
• Track process lineage for unexpected child processes spawned with elevated privileges after device access
• Audit which local accounts and containers have access to AMD GPU device nodes and review whether that access is required

How to Mitigate CVE-2025-54517

Immediate Actions Required

• Inventory hosts running AMD GPU virtualization drivers, including hypervisors and AI/ML workloads that use SR-IOV configurations
• Apply the updated driver release referenced in AMD-SB-6027 as soon as it is available for your platform
• Restrict local interactive and shell access on systems exposing the affected driver until patches are deployed

Patch Information

AMD has published guidance in AMD Security Bulletin AMD-SB-6027. Administrators should consult the bulletin for the specific fixed driver versions applicable to their hardware and platform, then schedule deployment through standard change management.

Workarounds

• Limit access to the AMD GPU device nodes to administrative accounts and required service identities only
• Remove or block loading of the vulnerable driver on systems that do not require GPU virtualization features
• Apply mandatory access controls such as SELinux or AppArmor to constrain which processes can issue ioctls to the AMD driver

# Example: restrict device node access on Linux until patched
# Identify the AMD GPU device nodes
ls -l /dev/dri/ /dev/kfd 2>/dev/null

# Restrict access to the video/render groups only
chown root:video /dev/dri/renderD*
chmod 0660 /dev/dri/renderD*

# Audit which users belong to the video/render groups
getent group video render