CVE-2023-27322

Root code execution via uninitialized environment variables

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Improper initialization in Parallels Desktop before 18.1.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root through Parallels Service. Parallels Service fails to initialize environment variables before privileged execution, allowing attacker-controlled environment state to affect a root process. Low-privileged code execution on the macOS host is required, and successful exploitation grants root-level code execution.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.37%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Improper initialization in Parallels Desktop before 18.1.0 allows local users to execute arbitrary code as root through Parallels Service. Parallels Service fails to initialize environment variables before privileged execution, allowing attacker-controlled environment state to affect a root process. Low-privileged code execution on the macOS host is required, and successful exploitation grants root-level code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-27322
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Parallels
Product
Parallels Desktop
Classifications
CWE-665, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. May 3, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 2, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=0 <18.1.0
  2. Affected versionversion=17.1.4 (51567)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Parallels · Parallels Desktopversion=0 <18.1.0; version=17.1.4 (51567)

Published CVSS scores

7.8Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

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No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-665Improper Initialization
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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