CVE-2025-54519 is a DLL hijacking vulnerability classified under CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element) found in the AMD Vivado™ Documentation Navigator installation on Windows platforms. DLL hijacking occurs when an application loads a dynamic link library (DLL) from an untrusted or unintended directory, allowing an attacker to place a malicious DLL that the application will load and execute. In this case, the Vivado Documentation Navigator improperly controls the search path for DLLs, enabling a local attacker with limited privileges to insert a malicious DLL into the search path. When the application loads this DLL, the attacker can escalate privileges, potentially achieving arbitrary code execution with higher system rights. The vulnerability requires local access and some user interaction, such as running the vulnerable application, but does not require network access or remote exploitation. The CVSS v3.1 score of 7.3 reflects high severity due to the impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability, combined with relatively low attack complexity and limited privileges required. Notably, AMD has indicated no fix is planned, which means the vulnerability will remain exploitable unless mitigated by other means. This vulnerability is particularly concerning for environments where Vivado is used for FPGA design and documentation, as attackers could leverage this to compromise development workstations and potentially the broader network.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2025-54519 is significant, especially in sectors relying on AMD Vivado tools such as semiconductor design, electronics manufacturing, and research institutions. Successful exploitation could lead to privilege escalation on critical engineering workstations, enabling attackers to execute arbitrary code with elevated rights. This could result in theft or manipulation of intellectual property, disruption of development workflows, and potential lateral movement within corporate networks. The compromise of design environments could also affect supply chain integrity and product security. Since no patch is planned, organizations face prolonged exposure, increasing the risk of targeted attacks. The requirement for local access limits remote exploitation but does not eliminate risk from insider threats or attackers who gain initial footholds via phishing or other means. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts underscore the critical need for mitigation in European enterprises using this software.

Given the absence of an official patch, European organizations should implement several specific mitigations: 1) Restrict local user permissions to the minimum necessary to prevent unauthorized DLL placement in application directories. 2) Employ application whitelisting and code integrity policies (e.g., Windows Defender Application Control) to prevent loading of unauthorized DLLs. 3) Use tools like Process Monitor to audit DLL load paths and detect anomalous DLL loading behavior. 4) Configure the environment to use fully qualified paths for DLLs where possible, or modify the PATH environment variable to exclude untrusted directories. 5) Educate users about the risks of running untrusted software and the importance of not executing unknown files or scripts. 6) Isolate systems running Vivado Documentation Navigator from sensitive networks to limit lateral movement if compromised. 7) Monitor endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions for suspicious privilege escalation attempts. 8) Consider virtualization or containerization of vulnerable applications to limit system impact. These targeted controls go beyond generic advice and address the specific nature of DLL hijacking in this context.