CVE-2023-27327

Host code execution via Toolgate locking race

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

A TOCTOU race in Toolgate in Parallels Desktop before 18.1.1 allows local users to execute code as the current macOS user. Toolgate performs operations on an object without proper locking, allowing its state to change between a security check and later use. Exploitation requires high-privileged code execution in a guest system and crosses into code execution as the current user on the host.

CVSS severity7.5
High
EPSS probability0.40%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A TOCTOU race in Toolgate in Parallels Desktop before 18.1.1 allows local users to execute code as the current macOS user. Toolgate performs operations on an object without proper locking, allowing its state to change between a security check and later use. Exploitation requires high-privileged code execution in a guest system and crosses into code execution as the current user on the host.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-27327
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Parallels
Product
Parallels Desktop
Classifications
CWE-367, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

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 <18.1.1
  2. Affected versionversion=18.0.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Parallels · Parallels Desktopversion=0 <18.1.1; version=18.0.2

Published CVSS scores

7.5Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/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.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-367Time-of-check Time-of-use (TOCTOU) Race Condition
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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