CVE-2023-28596

Root privilege escalation via uncontrolled search path

Published Mar 27, 2023 · Updated Feb 19, 2025

Uncontrolled search path handling in Zoom Client for IT Admin macOS installers before 5.13.5 allows local users to gain root privileges. Zoom identifies the weakness as an uncontrolled search path element but has not published the executable, library, or path-resolution operation that trusts a user-writable location. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a vulnerable IT Admin installer to run during an installation chain, after which attacker-controlled code executes as root.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path handling in Zoom Client for IT Admin macOS installers before 5.13.5 allows local users to gain root privileges. Zoom identifies the weakness as an uncontrolled search path element but has not published the executable, library, or path-resolution operation that trusts a user-writable location. Exploitation requires low-privileged local access and a vulnerable IT Admin installer to run during an installation chain, after which attacker-controlled code executes as root.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-28596
Published
Mar 27, 2023
Updated
Feb 19, 2025
Vendor
Zoom Video Communications, Inc.
Product
Zoom Clients for macOS
Classifications
CWE-427, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
Unavailable

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 27, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 19, 2025Record 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=unspecified <5.13.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesUnavailable in this record.

What is affected?

Zoom Video Communications, Inc. · Zoom Clients for macOSversion=unspecified <5.13.5

Published CVSS scores

7.8Zoom Video Communications, Inc.CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/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.

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
PrivilegesUnavailable
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
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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