CVE-2023-27328Public exploit

Guest escape via unescaped helper-app plist fields

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

XML injection in Toolgate in Parallels Desktop before 18.1.1 allows local users to execute code in the hypervisor from a guest. Toolgate writes guest-supplied URL schemes and file extensions into a macOS helper application's Info.plist without XML escaping, permitting injected LSEnvironment settings that load a chosen dylib. Low-privileged guest code can reach the flaw when Parallels Tools is installed, completing a guest-to-hypervisor privilege-boundary escape.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.32%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

XML injection in Toolgate in Parallels Desktop before 18.1.1 allows local users to execute code in the hypervisor from a guest. Toolgate writes guest-supplied URL schemes and file extensions into a macOS helper application's Info.plist without XML escaping, permitting injected LSEnvironment settings that load a chosen dylib. Low-privileged guest code can reach the flaw when Parallels Tools is installed, completing a guest-to-hypervisor privilege-boundary escape.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-27328
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Parallels
Product
Parallels Desktop
Classifications
CWE-91, T1611
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 <18.1.1
  2. Affected versionversion=18.0.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

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

Published CVSS scores

7.8Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/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.

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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
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-91XML Injection (aka Blind XPath Injection)
T1611Escape to Host

Public exploit references

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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