CVE-2026-25676 | HP installer | dll hijack

Field	Details
Vulnerability	CVE-2026-25676
Affected Product	M-Audio M-Track Duo HD installer version 1.0.0
Type	DLL Search Path Hijacking / Uncontrolled Search Path Element
CWE	CWE-427: Uncontrolled Search Path Element
Description	The installer of M-Track Duo HD 1.0.0 insecurely resolves Dynamic Link Libraries, allowing a malicious DLL placed in a controllable location to be loaded by the installer. Official advisories state this can lead to arbitrary code execution with administrator privileges.
Severity	CVSS v3.0: 7.8 High with vector AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. CVSS v4.0: 7.1 High with vector AV:L/AC:L/AT:P/PR:N/UI:A/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N.
Root Cause	The vulnerable installer does not enforce a secure and deterministic DLL resolution path. According to the research repo, the installer loads external libraries without pinning them to trusted absolute paths, enabling a user-controlled DLL to be resolved first.
Attack Vector	Local. Exploitation requires the attacker to place a malicious DLL in a location that the installer will search, then have the installer executed. Both the official scoring and the repo indicate user interaction is required.
Privileges Required	None before exploitation, but the payload may run in the installer’s elevated context if the installer is executed with administrator privileges.
User Interaction	Required. The victim typically must run the vulnerable installer and may need to accept a UAC prompt if elevation is requested.
Impact	Successful exploitation may result in arbitrary code execution with administrator privileges. The research repo also highlights likely secondary outcomes such as local privilege escalation, persistence opportunities, and possible evasion of traditional allow-listing controls by abusing a trusted installer process.
Why the Bug Matters	DLL search order hijacking abuses a legitimate trusted binary and a trusted execution flow, which can make detection harder than obvious malware execution. The linked research notes it can fit supply chain, bundling, removable media, and social engineering scenarios.
Execution Flow	1. Attacker places a malicious DLL next to the vulnerable installer. 2. Victim runs the installer. 3. The installer resolves and loads the attacker-controlled DLL instead of a trusted one. 4. The DLL executes in the installer’s security context. 5. In the PoC, successful execution is confirmed by creation of a marker file in `%TEMP%`.
Threat Model / Abuse Scenarios	The research repo lists several realistic scenarios, including supply chain compromise, social engineering distribution, software bundling, USB or removable media delivery, and local persistence via trusted software.
Detection Opportunities	Defenders should monitor for DLL loads from non-standard directories, especially when the loading process is an installer running elevated. The repo specifically highlights telemetry from Sysmon, ETW, EDR behavioral signals, and process/module load tracking.
High-Value Detection Clues	- Elevated installer process loading DLLs from the installer directory instead of a trusted system path - DLL loads originating from user-controlled paths - Unexpected module loads by a newly launched installer process - Creation of the PoC marker file `poc_cve-2026-25676.txt` in `%TEMP%` during testing
Example Hunt Ideas	- Search EDR or Sysmon data for an installer process followed by Image Load events from its working directory - Hunt for unsigned DLLs loaded by elevated processes - Correlate Process Create, Image Load, and File Create events around execution of the M-Track Duo HD installer
Mitigation	The official advisory recommends using the unaffected installer and using the latest installer provided by the developer. The research repo also recommends controls such as SafeDllSearchMode, absolute library paths, digital signature validation, restricted write access to executable directories, and stronger monitoring of privileged execution chains.
Solution Status	JVN states users should use the unaffected installer and use the latest installer according to the information provided by the developer. The public advisory does not name the fixed installer version.
MITRE ATT&CK Mapping	The research repo maps the technique to T1574 Hijack Execution Flow and T1574.001 DLL Search Order Hijacking.
Limitations / Constraints	This is not a remote exploit. It is a local execution / search path hijack scenario that depends on attacker control of DLL placement and successful execution of the vulnerable installer.
References	- https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2026-25676 - https://jvn.jp/en/jp/JVN88690363/ - https://www.m-audio.com/audio-midi-interfaces/m-track-duo-hd.html - https://github.com/Nexxus67/cve-2026-25676