A critical vulnerability has been identified in the Plantronics Hub software, a client application used for configuring Plantronics audio devices.
The flaw, categorized under CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element), allows attackers to exploit unquoted registry paths to execute arbitrary files, potentially leading to privilege escalation.
This issue is particularly concerning as it persists in the latest version of the software (3.25.2), despite its official end-of-life status.
The vulnerability was discovered during a security assessment of a client system running OpenScape Fusion for MS Office, which installs Plantronics Hub as a dependency.
OpenScape Fusion integrates unified communications features into Microsoft Outlook, and its startup process revealed an unquoted path vulnerability linked to the registry entry for the Plantronics Hub executable (PLTHub.exe).
This oversight enables attackers to manipulate file execution by exploiting Windows’ handling of unquoted paths containing spaces.
Technical Analysis and Exploitation
The vulnerability stems from a misconfigured registry key (LocalServer32) that specifies the path to PLTHub.exe without enclosing it in quotation marks.
When Windows attempts to execute the file, it interprets the path up to the first space, potentially redirecting execution to malicious files such as C:\Program.exe.
If permissions on the C:\ directory are improperly configured allowing non-administrative users to write files an attacker can place a malicious executable in this location.
Exploitation involves creating three files in the C:\ directory:
Program.exe– A custom executable acting as an entry point.aka.exe– A UAC (User Account Control) bypass tool.ape.exe.lnk– A payload shortcut targeting PowerShell.
Once these files are in place, the vulnerability is triggered during system startup when OpenScape Fusion attempts to launch Plantronics Hub.
According to the Report, this process inadvertently executes Program.exe, which chains into the UAC bypass (aka.exe) and ultimately runs the payload (ape.exe.lnk) with administrative privileges.
Successful exploitation grants attackers elevated access, enabling them to execute arbitrary commands or compromise sensitive data.
Mitigation and Recommendations
Despite its severity, no official patch is available due to the software’s end-of-life status.
Organizations are advised to take the following steps to mitigate risks:
- Quote Registry Paths: Manually update the affected registry entry (
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\WOW6432Node\CLSID\{750B4A16-1338-4DB0-85BB-C6C89E4CB9AC}\LocalServer32) by enclosing the path in quotation marks. - Restrict Directory Permissions: Ensure only administrators and system accounts can write to the root
C:\directory, preventing unauthorized file placement. - Remove Obsolete Software: Uninstall unsupported applications like Plantronics Hub and OpenScape Fusion to eliminate potential attack vectors.
The disclosure timeline indicates that HP acknowledged this issue but reiterated that Plantronics Hub is no longer supported.
Security professionals should remain vigilant about similar vulnerabilities in legacy software dependencies, as they pose significant risks in real-world environments.
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