CVE-2025-39246 is an Unquoted Service Path vulnerability affecting Hikvision's HikCentral FocSign software versions between 1.4.0 and 2.2.0. This vulnerability arises when the Windows service executable path is not enclosed in quotes, allowing an authenticated local user to manipulate the service path by placing a malicious executable in a directory path that the system interprets incorrectly. Specifically, if the service path contains spaces and is unquoted, Windows may execute an attacker-controlled executable located in a higher priority directory in the path. Exploiting this vulnerability requires local access and authentication but does not require user interaction or elevated privileges initially. Successful exploitation can lead to privilege escalation, enabling an attacker to gain higher system privileges than originally granted. The CVSS score of 5.3 (medium severity) reflects the moderate risk, considering the need for authentication and local access, and the impact limited to integrity (privilege escalation) without direct confidentiality or availability impact. No known exploits are currently in the wild, and no patches have been linked yet, indicating that organizations should proactively monitor for updates and consider mitigation steps. The vulnerability is specific to HikCentral FocSign, a component used in Hikvision's security management ecosystem, which is often deployed in physical security and access control systems.

For European organizations, the impact of this vulnerability can be significant, especially for those relying on Hikvision's HikCentral FocSign for managing physical security infrastructure such as access control and visitor management. Privilege escalation on systems running this software could allow attackers to manipulate security configurations, disable security controls, or gain persistent access to sensitive physical security systems. This could lead to unauthorized physical access, data integrity issues, or disruption of security operations. Given the critical role of physical security in sectors like government, transportation, critical infrastructure, and corporate environments, exploitation could have cascading effects on operational security and compliance with regulations such as GDPR. Although the vulnerability requires local authenticated access, insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds could leverage this to escalate privileges and move laterally within networks. The absence of known exploits reduces immediate risk but does not preclude targeted attacks, especially in high-value environments.

European organizations should take specific steps beyond generic advice: 1) Immediately audit all systems running HikCentral FocSign versions 1.4.0 through 2.2.0 to identify vulnerable installations. 2) Restrict local access to these systems strictly to trusted personnel and enforce strong authentication and access controls to reduce the risk of an attacker gaining authenticated local access. 3) Monitor for any unusual local activity or privilege escalation attempts on these systems using endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools. 4) Implement application whitelisting and restrict execution paths to prevent unauthorized executables from running in directories that could be exploited due to unquoted service paths. 5) Engage with Hikvision or authorized vendors to obtain patches or updates as soon as they become available and plan for timely deployment. 6) Consider deploying host-based hardening measures such as enforcing service path quoting manually or using security tools that detect and remediate unquoted service paths. 7) Conduct user training to raise awareness about the risks of local privilege escalation and the importance of safeguarding credentials and local system access.