Attack ChainAIDerived
Hypothetical attack flow derived from CVE metadata – not a confirmed exploit chain
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AccessGain local low-privilege shell access
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DeliveryIdentify HP Easy Start temp file directory
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ExploitTrigger or wait for setup operation
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ExecutionRace/replace temp file with symlink
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PersistHP Easy Start writes privileged content to attacker-controlled path
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ImpactAchieve privilege escalation to admin/root
Vulnerability Assessment
| Weakness |
CWE
OWASP Top 10:2025
A01:2025 - Broken Access Control
ASVS 5.0
V5 - File Handling Temp file permissions
|
| Exploitation Conditions | Exploitation requires a low-privileged local user account on a macOS system with HP Easy Start prior to version 2.16.7.260722 installed. The vulnerable code path must be triggered - typically during a printer setup, initialization, or update operation that causes HP Easy Start to create temporary files with insecure directory permissions. The AT:P designation in the vendor CVSS 4.0 vector confirms that specific attack requirements must align, most likely a timing window consistent with a race condition against the temp file creation. What limits exploitation: the attacker must already have local shell or GUI access to the target macOS machine; remote unauthenticated exploitation is not consistent with CWE-379 and contradicts the AT:P flag despite the vendor's AV:N attribution; the vulnerable operation must be actively in progress or initiatable by the attacker. The vendor CVSS AV:N is inconsistent with this CWE class - teams should not plan for remote network exploitation without further clarification from HP. |
| Impact | The vendor-assigned CVSS 4.0 score is 7.7 with vector AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N. A significant inconsistency exists: the AV:N (Network) attribution is incompatible with the CWE-379 root cause, which is an inherently local file system attack requiring physical or shell-level access to the target macOS host. The AT:P (attack requirements present) partially acknowledges special conditions, but the network vector remains unexplained by available data and should be verified with HP. No EPSS data was provided, and the absence of a KEV listing and public exploit code both argue against elevated immediate threat. Real-world exploitation is constrained to attackers with pre-existing local user access on macOS systems running a vulnerable HP Easy Start version, which substantially limits the attack surface compared to what AV:N would imply. Priority should be treated as medium for enterprise Mac fleets with HP printers, elevated to high if multi-user macOS environments are in scope. |
| Exploit ScenarioDerived | A low-privileged local user on a shared macOS workstation with a vulnerable HP Easy Start version initiates or waits for a printer setup operation to trigger the vulnerable temp file creation path. The attacker uses a symlink or inotify-equivalent race to replace the temp file before HP Easy Start's privileged process reads or executes it, causing the elevated process to act on attacker-controlled content and granting the attacker administrator or root privileges. No public exploit code has been identified at time of analysis. |
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Alert meAnalysisAIv1 – Aug 24, 2026
Privilege escalation in HP Easy Start for macOS (versions prior to 2.16.7.260722) allows low-privileged local users to gain elevated system access through insecure temporary file handling, classified under CWE-379. HP has released version 2.16.7.260722 to address these vulnerabilities, as detailed in advisory HPSBPI04124. No public exploit code exists and no CISA KEV listing is present at time of analysis, reducing immediate urgency despite a vendor-assigned CVSS 4.0 score of 7.7.
RemediationAI
Update HP Easy Start to version 2.16.7.260722 or later as documented in HP security bulletin HPSBPI04124 (https://support.hp.com/in-en/document/ish_15512340-15512362-16/hpsbpi04124). HP Easy Start can typically be updated through the Mac App Store or HP's software download portal. As a compensating control on systems where immediate patching is not possible, restrict local user accounts to standard (non-admin) privileges and audit which users have shell access to macOS hosts where HP Easy Start is installed, since exploitation requires local shell access. Uninstalling HP Easy Start entirely on endpoints where HP printer setup is complete and the utility is no longer actively needed eliminates the attack surface with no functional side effects for day-to-day printing operations, as printing itself does not require HP Easy Start to remain installed post-configuration.
Affected VersionsENISA
Affected Packages
Source: OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)
Affects your stack
Affects 1 package in euvd
Checking this CVE against your own stacks and servers is part of the Basic plan and up.
Technical ContextAI · show details
HP Easy Start is a macOS printer setup and configuration utility distributed by HP for initializing HP printers on Apple systems. CWE-379 (Creation of Temporary File in Directory with Insecure Permissions) describes a class of vulnerability where a privileged process creates temporary files in world-writable or otherwise permissive directories such as /tmp, allowing unprivileged local users to predict file paths and exploit the insecure permissions via symlink attacks, race conditions, or direct file manipulation. Because HP Easy Start performs setup operations with elevated macOS privileges, a local attacker can intercept or redirect these file operations to escalate their privileges to administrator or root level. No CPE strings were provided in the source data, so exact platform and architecture scoping beyond 'macOS' cannot be confirmed independently.
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Severity by source
CVSS:4.0/AV:N/AC:L/AT:P/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:H/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N
CWE-379 is a local filesystem attack; AV:L overrides vendor AV:N as inconsistent; AC:H reflects race condition timing requirement indicated by AT:P.
Primary rating from Vendor (hp).
CVSS VectorVendor: hp
Lifecycle Timeline
2DescriptionCVE.org
Potential security vulnerabilities have been identified in HP Easy Start for macOS, versions prior to 2.16.7.260722. These potential vulnerabilities may lead to escalation of privilege. HP is releasing updates to mitigate these potential vulnerabilities.
Executive ViewAI
HP Easy Start for macOS contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2026-12555, CVSS 7.7) affecting versions prior to 2.16.7.260722. Low-privileged users on affected macOS systems could exploit insecure temporary file handling to gain administrator-level access. Organizations must prioritize patching to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation attacks.
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Threat Intelligence Overview
How this decision was reached
The engine reads each signal below and applies a fixed list of rules from top to bottom. The first rule that matches sets the recommended action – like a statement, every line is shown.
What every action level means
SSVC AssessmentENISA
Priority Score
Attack Technique
Privilege escalation occurs when an attacker leverages flaws in access control mechanisms to gain permissions beyond what they were originally granted.
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NVD
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EPSS
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