CVE-2019-18915Public exploit

SYSTEM code execution via unquoted service path

Published Feb 12, 2020 · Updated Aug 5, 2024

Unquoted search path in HP System Event Utility before 1.4.33 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. The HPMSGSVC.exe service starts an attacker-supplied C:\Program.exe because its executable path is not safely quoted. Exploitation requires local file-write access to the root of C: and elevates an administrator-level attacker to SYSTEM.

CVSS severity6.7
Medium
EPSS probability1.48%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Unquoted search path in HP System Event Utility before 1.4.33 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as SYSTEM. The HPMSGSVC.exe service starts an attacker-supplied C:\Program.exe because its executable path is not safely quoted. Exploitation requires local file-write access to the root of C: and elevates an administrator-level attacker to SYSTEM.

The record

CVE
CVE-2019-18915
Published
Feb 12, 2020
Updated
Aug 5, 2024
Vendor
Plantronics
Product
HP System Event Utility
Classifications
CWE-428, T1574.009
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 12, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 5, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=Prior to version 1.4.33

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Plantronics · HP System Event Utilityversion=Prior to version 1.4.33

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
6.7HP Inc.CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-428Unquoted Search Path or Element
T1574.009Path Interception by Unquoted Path

Public exploit references

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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