CVE-2023-53947 is an unquoted service path vulnerability identified in OCS Inventory NG version 2.3.0.0, a widely used open-source IT asset management and inventory software. The vulnerability stems from the service executable path being unquoted in the Windows service configuration. When a service path contains spaces and is not enclosed in quotes, Windows may interpret the path incorrectly, allowing an attacker to place a malicious executable in a directory that is parsed earlier in the path sequence. Upon service restart, Windows executes the attacker's executable with SYSTEM-level privileges. This vulnerability requires the attacker to have local access to the system but does not require user interaction or elevated privileges initially. Exploiting this flaw enables privilege escalation from a local user to SYSTEM, compromising the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected system. The CVSS 4.0 score of 8.5 reflects the high impact and relatively low complexity of exploitation. Although no known exploits are currently reported in the wild, the vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the common use of OCS Inventory NG in enterprise environments for managing IT assets and software inventories. The lack of a patch link suggests that remediation may require manual configuration changes or updates from the vendor. Organizations relying on OCS Inventory NG should prioritize identifying affected installations and correcting the service path to be properly quoted or applying vendor patches once available.

For European organizations, the impact of CVE-2023-53947 can be substantial, particularly in sectors where OCS Inventory NG is deployed for asset management, such as government agencies, healthcare, finance, and critical infrastructure. Successful exploitation allows local attackers to escalate privileges to SYSTEM level, potentially leading to full system compromise, unauthorized access to sensitive data, and disruption of inventory management services. This can undermine operational security, facilitate lateral movement within networks, and enable further attacks such as ransomware or data exfiltration. The vulnerability's local attack vector means insider threats or compromised user accounts pose a significant risk. Additionally, organizations with large distributed IT environments using OCS Inventory NG may face challenges in quickly identifying and remediating all vulnerable instances, increasing exposure time. The high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts necessitate urgent attention to prevent exploitation and maintain trust in IT asset management processes.

To mitigate CVE-2023-53947 effectively, European organizations should: 1) Immediately audit all OCS Inventory NG installations to identify affected versions, focusing on version 2.3.0.0. 2) Verify and correct the service executable path in Windows services to ensure it is properly quoted, preventing the unquoted path vulnerability. This can be done by inspecting the service configuration via 'sc qc' or registry keys and updating the path with quotes. 3) Restrict local user permissions to prevent unauthorized file creation in directories included in the service path. 4) Implement application whitelisting and endpoint detection to monitor and block unauthorized executables from running with elevated privileges. 5) Apply vendor patches or updates as soon as they become available. 6) Educate local users about the risks of privilege escalation and enforce least privilege principles to limit local access. 7) Regularly monitor system and service logs for unusual service restarts or execution of unexpected binaries. 8) Consider isolating OCS Inventory NG servers and limiting access to trusted administrators only. These steps go beyond generic advice by focusing on the specific nature of the unquoted service path vulnerability and the operational context of OCS Inventory NG.