CVE-2025-48518 in Ryzen 7040 Mobile Processors with Radeon Graphics
Summary
by MITRE • 02/11/2026
Improper input validation in AMD Graphics Driver could allow a local attacker to write out of bounds, potentially resulting in loss of integrity or denial of service.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/11/2026
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2025-48518 represents a critical flaw in AMD Graphics Driver implementations that stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms. This weakness exists within the graphics driver component responsible for processing graphical data and commands, creating a potential attack surface for local adversaries who possess system access. The vulnerability manifests when the driver fails to properly validate input parameters received from user-space applications or system processes, leading to scenarios where malformed or excessive data can be processed without proper bounds checking. Such deficiencies in input validation directly contravene established security principles and are categorized under CWE-129 as improper validation of array indices or buffer bounds. The flaw specifically affects the graphics processing pipeline where driver components handle rendering commands, texture data, and other graphical operations that require careful parameter validation to maintain system stability and data integrity.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a local attacker crafts malicious input that exceeds the expected buffer boundaries or array limits within the graphics driver's memory management systems. This improper validation allows the attacker to potentially write data beyond the allocated memory regions, creating opportunities for memory corruption that can compromise the driver's operational integrity. The out-of-bounds write condition can result in unpredictable behavior including system crashes, application termination, or more severe consequences such as privilege escalation within the graphics subsystem. The attack vector is specifically local, meaning that an adversary must already have access to the system to exploit this vulnerability, though this does not diminish its potential impact given that local privilege escalation opportunities can provide attackers with elevated system access. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which describes local privilege escalation methods that exploit weaknesses in system components, and also relates to T1547 which covers registry run keys and startup folder modifications that could be leveraged through compromised graphics drivers.
The operational impact of CVE-2025-48518 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios to potentially enable more sophisticated attacks that could compromise system integrity and availability. When exploited successfully, this vulnerability can cause system instability through kernel crashes or graphics subsystem failures, leading to complete system hangs or forced reboots that disrupt normal operations. The memory corruption resulting from out-of-bounds writes can also potentially be leveraged to execute arbitrary code within the graphics driver context, though the attack surface remains limited to the graphics processing domain. Organizations running AMD graphics hardware are particularly at risk as this vulnerability affects widely deployed driver components that handle critical graphical operations across various applications and system functions. The vulnerability's impact is especially concerning in enterprise environments where graphics-intensive applications, virtualization platforms, and security-sensitive systems may be running on affected AMD hardware. Furthermore, the local nature of the attack means that even systems with strong network security controls remain vulnerable if an attacker can establish a foothold on the local system through other means.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2025-48518 should prioritize immediate driver updates from AMD as the primary defense mechanism against this vulnerability. System administrators should ensure that all AMD graphics drivers are updated to versions that include patches addressing the input validation flaws, with particular attention to the specific driver versions affected by this vulnerability. Additional mitigations include implementing application whitelisting policies that restrict which applications can interact with graphics driver components, and monitoring system logs for unusual graphics driver behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and least privilege access controls can help limit the potential impact if an attacker does gain local access to a system, while endpoint detection and response solutions should be configured to monitor for memory corruption indicators and unusual driver behavior patterns. The vulnerability also underscores the importance of regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning that specifically targets graphics driver components, as these systems often receive less scrutiny than other system components. Organizations should consider implementing runtime protection mechanisms that can detect and prevent out-of-bounds memory operations, particularly in graphics processing contexts where such operations can be particularly dangerous. Regular system hardening practices including disabling unnecessary graphics services, restricting user access to graphics driver interfaces, and maintaining current security patches for all system components remain essential defensive measures against this and similar vulnerabilities.