CVE-2017-3751 in Compact USB Keyboard Driver
Summary
by MITRE
An unquoted service path vulnerability was identified in the driver for the ThinkPad Compact USB Keyboard with TrackPoint versions earlier than 1.5.5.0. This could allow an attacker with local privileges to execute code with administrative privileges.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/06/2019
The vulnerability CVE-2017-3751 represents a critical unquoted service path flaw in the ThinkPad Compact USB Keyboard with TrackPoint driver software. This issue affects driver versions prior to 1.5.5.0 and demonstrates a classic privilege escalation vulnerability that exploits how Windows handles service paths during installation. The flaw occurs when a service is installed without proper quotation marks around the path string, creating a path traversal opportunity that can be exploited by malicious actors with local access.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the Windows service installation process where the system does not properly validate or quote service executable paths. When a service path contains spaces and lacks proper quotation, Windows will interpret the path as a sequence of commands where the first portion becomes the executable and subsequent portions become parameters. This behavior creates a window where an attacker can place a malicious executable in a directory that gets traversed before the legitimate service path, effectively hijacking the service execution flow. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-428 as an "Unquoted Service Path" which is a well-documented weakness in Windows service management.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to enterprise environments where local user access may be more prevalent than anticipated. Attackers with minimal privileges can leverage this flaw to escalate their access from standard user level to administrative privileges, effectively bypassing many security controls that rely on privilege separation. The attack vector requires local system access, making it particularly concerning in environments where user accounts may have elevated access rights or where social engineering attacks could be employed to gain initial access. This vulnerability directly maps to ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and specifically targets the Windows service path manipulation attack pattern.
The impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can serve as a foothold for more sophisticated attacks within a compromised system. Once an attacker achieves administrative privileges through this vector, they can deploy additional malware, modify system configurations, or establish persistence mechanisms that are difficult to detect. The vulnerability affects a specific product line from lenovo and demonstrates the importance of keeping device drivers updated, particularly those that install Windows services. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management strategies that include not only operating system updates but also device driver patches from vendors. The recommended mitigation involves upgrading the affected ThinkPad Compact USB Keyboard with TrackPoint driver to version 1.5.5.0 or later, which properly quotes the service paths during installation. Additionally, system administrators should conduct regular audits of installed services and verify that service paths are properly quoted to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being exploited in other software components.