# CVE-2023-53965: SOUND4 Server Service 4.1.102 Local Privilege Escalation via Unquoted Service Path

> Local attackers can escalate privileges to SYSTEM by exploiting an unquoted service path in SOUND4 Server Service.

- **Severity:** High 8.6 (`CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:N/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 22 Dec 2025
- **Updated:** 22 Dec 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-34xc-rrm5-3hhj

## What is CVE-2023-53965?

CVE-2023-53965 is a high-severity vulnerability in SOUND4 Server Service, published on 22 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

SOUND4 Server Service 4.1.102 contains an unquoted service path vulnerability that allows local non-privileged users to potentially execute code with elevated system privileges. Attackers can exploit the unquoted binary path by inserting malicious code in the system root path that could execute with LocalSystem privileges during service startup.

Weakness: CWE-428 (Unquoted Search Path or Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-53965?

It affects 15 products.


Products: Sound4 Big Voice Firmware, Sound4 First Firmware, Sound4 Impact Eco Firmware, Sound4 Impact Firmware, Sound4 Ip Connect Firmware, Sound4 Playout Ula8 Firmware, Sound4 Pulse Eco Firmware, Sound4 Pulse Firmware, Sound4 Stream X2 Firmware, Sound4 Stream X4 Firmware, Sound4 Stream X8 Firmware, Sound4 Voice Ula2 Firmware, Sound4 Voice Ula4 Firmware, Sound4 Voice Ula8 Firmware, Sound4 Wm2 Firmware.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-53965?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-53965 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-53965 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53965 exists.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-53965 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-53965 is a high-severity vulnerability in SOUND4 Server Service, published on 22 Dec 2025. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-53965 exists.

Affected product: SOUND4 Server Service. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53965/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53965/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-53965
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-53965
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-53965

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-53965/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.