Unquoted Service Path in IDT PC Audio Enables Privilege Escalation

Executive Summary

CVE-2020-36959 is an unquoted service path vulnerability in the 'STacSV' service of IDT PC Audio version 1.0.6499.0. Because the service path is not enclosed in quotes, a local attacker can place a malicious executable in a directory path segment that the system misinterprets during service startup. When the service starts, this malicious code executes with LocalSystem account privileges, allowing the attacker to run arbitrary code with elevated system privileges. [2, 3]

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Impact Analysis

This vulnerability allows a local attacker to escalate privileges by executing arbitrary code with SYSTEM-level privileges during the startup of the STacSV service. This means an attacker with local access can gain high-level control over the affected system, potentially compromising confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the system. [2, 3]

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Detection Guidance

This vulnerability can be detected by checking the service path of the 'STacSV' service for unquoted spaces. On a Windows system, you can use the command: `sc qc STacSV` to query the service configuration and inspect the BINARY_PATH_NAME for unquoted spaces. If the path contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotes, the system is vulnerable to this unquoted service path issue. [2, 3]

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Mitigation Strategies

Immediate mitigation steps include correcting the service path by enclosing it in quotes to prevent execution of malicious code. Alternatively, replace or patch the vulnerable executable 'STacSV64.exe' with a secure version. If replacement is needed, back up the original file, replace the executable located in the service path (e.g., 'C:\Program Files\IDT\WDM\STacSV64.exe'), and reboot the system. If the file is in use, perform the replacement in Safe Mode. Additionally, ensure that only trusted users have write permissions to directories in the service path to prevent malicious file placement. [1, 2, 3]

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