Active Webcam 115 Unquoted Service Path Patched [portable] -

The Active WebCam 11.5 unquoted service path vulnerability (tracked as ExploitDB-50273) is a local privilege escalation flaw that allows attackers with low-level access to gain administrative or SYSTEM rights. While the official vendor, PY Software, has not released a direct patch for version 11.5, the issue is considered "patched" when administrators manually enclose the executable path in quotes within the Windows Registry. Understanding the Vulnerability

In Active WebCam 11.5, the service is installed with a binary path like C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\WebCam.exe without quotation marks.

Windows interprets unquoted paths with spaces as potential execution points. For example, it will attempt to execute files in this order: C:\Program.exe C:\Program Files\Active.exe C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\WebCam.exe

An attacker can place a malicious file named Program.exe in the root directory. When the system reboots or the service restarts, Windows may execute the attacker's file instead of the legitimate webcam software, often with SYSTEM privileges. How to Manually "Patch" Active WebCam 11.5

To resolve this security risk on your machine, you must manually edit the service configuration in the Windows Registry. Step 1: Identify the Vulnerable Service

You can verify if your installation is vulnerable by running this command in an Administrative Command Prompt:

wmic service get name,displayname,pathname,startmode |findstr /i "auto" |findstr /i /v "c:\windows\\" |findstr /i /v """ Use code with caution.

If ACTIVEWEBCAM appears in the list with an unquoted path, it requires a manual fix. Step 2: Apply the Registry Fix Press Win + R, type regedit, and press Enter.

Navigate to the following key:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ACTIVEWEBCAM. In the right pane, double-click on ImagePath. Modify the value to include double quotes around the path: Original: C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\WebCam.exe Patched: "C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\WebCam.exe". Click OK and restart your computer to apply the changes. Verification & Remediation

Security researchers from Exploit-DB and VulnCheck recommend that users check their installation settings, as the "Start on Windows Startup" and "Start as Service" options must be enabled for this specific vulnerability to be exploitable. For enterprise environments, you can use Proactive Remediations via Microsoft Intune to automate the quoting of service paths across multiple devices. How to fix the Windows unquoted service path vulnerability

A critical security flaw in Active WebCam 11.5 unquoted service path vulnerability tracked as CVE-2021-47790

, was recently highlighted for its potential to grant attackers administrative control. Understanding the Risk: CVE-2021-47790

The vulnerability occurs when a Windows service is installed with a path that contains spaces (e.g., C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\awc.exe active webcam 115 unquoted service path patched

) but lacks surrounding double quotes. Due to how Windows handles file execution, an attacker can place a malicious executable in a parent directory—such as C:\Program.exe —which the system will mistakenly execute with LocalSystem privileges when the service starts.

: Elevated system privileges, arbitrary code execution, and potential full system compromise.

: Local attackers with basic file-writing permissions can exploit this misconfiguration. How to Patch and Secure Your System

If you are running Active WebCam 11.5, it is vital to verify and fix the service path. While specialized security intelligence platforms like

monitor these threats, you can manually remediate the issue using these steps: Identify the Path : Use the command prompt as an administrator to run:

wmic service get name,pathname,displayname | findstr /i "Active WebCam" Check if the "pathname" lacks double quotes. Edit the Registry Registry Editor ) as an administrator. Navigate to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ Find the Active WebCam service entry and locate the Manually add double quotes around the entire path (e.g., "C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\awc.exe" Restart the Service

: Stop and restart the service for the changes to take effect. For those managing multiple assets, resources from Exploit-DB

provide further technical documentation on this and similar vulnerabilities. PowerShell script

to automatically detect and wrap unquoted paths for all your installed services? CVE-2021-47790 Detail - NVD

Active WebCam version 11.5 was found to have a critical security flaw known as an unquoted service path vulnerability (tracked as CVE-2021-47790). This allows a local attacker to gain administrative control over your computer. What is the Vulnerability?

An unquoted service path happens when a software's file path contains spaces but isn't wrapped in quotation marks in the Windows Registry.

When Windows tries to start the service, it reads the path one segment at a time. For example, if the path is C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\WebCam.exe, Windows might mistakenly try to run a malicious file named C:\Program.exe or C:\Program Files\Active.exe instead. How it was Patched The Active WebCam 11

The software's developer, PY Software, addressed this issue in version 11.6. The fix simply involves adding quotes around the service's executable path in the Windows Registry, ensuring the operating system only runs the intended WebCam.exe file. Steps to Secure Your System

If you are still using version 11.5, you can secure it by following these steps: Active WebCam 11.5 - Unquoted Service Path | Advisories

Active WebCam 11.5. CVE CVE-2021-47790. CWE-428 Unquoted Search Path or Element. CVSS 8.5. CVSS V4 Vector CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/ Active WebCam Download - 11.6 - TechSpot

About Active WebCam. Active WebCam captures images up to 30 frames per second from any video device including USB, analog cameras, Active WebCam Download - Webcam streaming app

The fluorescent lights of the server room hummed at a frequency that usually soothed Elias, but tonight, they felt like a rhythmic headache. As the senior sysadmin for Global Vision Corp, his job was to keep 10,000 "Active Webcam 115" units across the city from blinking out. He stared at the terminal. Red text bled across the screen: VULNERABILITY DETECTED.

"Found it," he whispered. It was a classic "Unquoted Service Path." The software was looking for its executable in C:\Program Files\Active Webcam 115\WebcamService.exe

. But because the path wasn’t wrapped in quotation marks, a clever hacker had dropped a malicious file named Program.exe directly into the

Windows, being literal and a bit gullible, was running the hacker's code first, thinking it was the start of the path.

Elias checked the logs. A shadow moved in the digital dark—someone was already exploiting it. They were seconds away from turning every security camera in the downtown financial district into a private peep show for a bored teenager in a basement or, worse, a state-sponsored hit squad. "Not on my watch," Elias muttered.

His fingers flew. He didn't just stop the service; he rewrote the registry key. He wrapped those vulnerable paths in the digital equivalent of a steel vault: double quotes. "C:\Program Files\Active Webcam 115\WebcamService.exe"

He pushed the patch to the entire fleet. One by one, the red warnings turned green. The malicious Program.exe

was neutralized, ignored by the system like a ghost in the machine. Adds a verification check during service installation to

Elias leaned back, the hum of the servers finally sounding like music again. The path was closed. The city was blind to the intruders, but the cameras were back in his hands. Should we look into other common vulnerabilities like this, or would you like to tweak the ending of the story?

Impact of the Patch

The vendor, PY Software, released a patch for version 11.5 that does two things:

Encloses the service path in quotes:
"C:\Program Files\Active WebCam\webcam.exe"
Adds a verification check during service installation to ensure the path is quoted and the target binary is in a secure, non-user-writable location.

3.2 Verification Steps

To check for this vulnerability, an attacker with low-privilege access to the machine could run:

sc qc "Active Webcam Service"

Output example:

BINARY_PATH_NAME   : C:\Program Files\Active Webcam\awservice.exe
START_TYPE         : 2   AUTO_START
SERVICE_START_NAME : LocalSystem

Because the path contains spaces and no quotes, the system is vulnerable.

How Unquoted Paths Become Dangerous

When a service path contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotation marks, Windows interprets the path ambiguously. Consider this vulnerable path:

C:\Program Files\Active Webcam\webcam115.exe

Because there are no quotes, Windows follows this search order when attempting to start the service:

C:\Program.exe
C:\Program Files\Active.exe
C:\Program Files\Active Webcam\webcam115.exe

If an attacker can place a malicious executable named Program.exe or Active.exe in C:\ or C:\Program Files\, Windows will execute it with SYSTEM privileges before reaching the legitimate file. This is a classic privilege escalation vector.