CVE-2025-0043 in Vivado
Summary
by MITRE • 11/12/2026
Incorrect directory permissions within AMD Vivado™ Lab Solutions could allow a local user-privileged attacker to escalate their privileges, potentially resulting in arbitrary code execution.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/12/2026
The vulnerability identified within AMD Vivado Labs Solutions stems from improper configuration of file system access controls, specifically involving incorrect directory permissions on the host operating system where the software is installed or executed. This misconfiguration creates a security gap that allows local users with standard privileges to interact with sensitive directories and files in ways intended only for administrators or elevated privilege accounts. In modern computing environments, particularly those utilizing Windows NTFS or Linux POSIX permission models, strict adherence to the principle of least privilege dictates that application-specific data directories should not be writable by general user groups unless explicitly required for specific operational functions. When these permissions are overly permissive, such as granting write access to Everyone or Users groups on critical installation paths or configuration storage locations, it fundamentally undermines the operating system's isolation mechanisms.
From a technical perspective, this flaw represents a classic case of insecure default configurations leading to privilege escalation vectors. An attacker with local user-level access can exploit these writable directories to inject malicious scripts, modify executable binaries, or alter configuration files that are subsequently executed by higher-privileged processes associated with the Vivado Labs environment. This scenario aligns closely with CWE-732, which describes incorrect permission assignment for critical resources, and CWE-250, where the software performs an operation without checking if it has been completed successfully, often a symptom of trusting file states that have been tampered with externally. The attacker does not need to exploit a complex memory corruption bug or bypass authentication mechanisms; instead, they leverage the operating system's trust in the integrity of files located within directories marked as writable by their user account.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, primarily because it facilitates local privilege escalation. By manipulating files within these improperly secured directories, an attacker can potentially achieve arbitrary code execution with elevated privileges, effectively gaining control over the host machine. This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive design data, intellectual property theft in hardware development contexts, or further lateral movement within a networked environment if the compromised system is used as a pivot point. The risk is exacerbated by the fact that Vivado Labs tools are often run with administrative rights during installation and certain configuration phases, making any file written into these directories potentially executed under those high-privilege contexts. This creates a direct path from low-level user access to full system compromise without requiring additional exploits or social engineering tactics beyond initial local login.
Mitigation strategies must focus on hardening the file system permissions associated with the Vivado Labs installation and configuration paths. System administrators should audit directory ownership and permission settings, ensuring that write access is restricted strictly to authorized administrative accounts rather than broad user groups. Implementing mandatory integrity control levels or using application whitelisting can further restrict unauthorized modifications even if a directory remains writable by lower-privilege users for specific functional reasons. Additionally, regular security audits of installed software configurations against industry benchmarks such as the CIS Benchmarks are recommended to detect and correct such misconfigurations proactively. Updating to patched versions provided by AMD that address these permission issues is critical, alongside enforcing strict access control policies across all development workstations running FPGA design tools.