CVE-2023-34298

Local privilege escalation via unvalidated file path

Published May 3, 2024 · Updated Aug 2, 2024

Directory traversal in SetupService in Pulse Secure Client 9.1 R15 and earlier allows local users to execute code with service privileges. SetupService passes a user-supplied path to file operations without checking that the resolved path stays inside its intended directory, also affecting the rebranded Ivanti client. Low-privileged code execution on a Windows endpoint is required; exploitation grants the service's privileges, while macOS and Linux clients are unaffected.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.97%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Directory traversal in SetupService in Pulse Secure Client 9.1 R15 and earlier allows local users to execute code with service privileges. SetupService passes a user-supplied path to file operations without checking that the resolved path stays inside its intended directory, also affecting the rebranded Ivanti client. Low-privileged code execution on a Windows endpoint is required; exploitation grants the service's privileges, while macOS and Linux clients are unaffected.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-34298
Published
May 3, 2024
Updated
Aug 2, 2024
Vendor
Pulse Secure
Product
Pulse Secure Client
Classifications
CWE-22, 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 <=9.1r15

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

Pulse Secure · Pulse Secure Clientversion=0 <=9.1r15
Ivanti · Ivanti Secure Access Clientversion=9.1r15

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.

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

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-22Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory ('Path Traversal')
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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