CVE-2020-17397: Parallels Desktop Networking Out-Of-Bounds Access Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

Published Aug 25, 2020
·
Updated

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Parallels Desktop 15.1.4. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute high-privileged code on the target guest system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of network packets. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a memory corruption condition. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of the hypervisor. Was ZDI-CAN-11253.

Other sources

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Parallels Desktop. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute high-privileged code on the target guest system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the handling of network packets. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of user-supplied data, which can result in a memory corruption condition. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute code in the context of the hypervisor.

Affected Software

2 affected components
Parallels Parallels Desktop Macos<16.0.0
Parallels Desktop

Event History

Aug 25, 2020
CVE Published
via MITRE·08:20 PM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·08:20 PM
DescriptionSeverityWeakness
Mar 24, 2025
Advisory Published
via ZDI·07:01 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2020-17397?

CVE-2020-17397 is a vulnerability that allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Parallels Desktop 15.1.4.

2

How can an attacker exploit CVE-2020-17397?

An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute high-privileged code on the target guest system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

3

What is the severity of CVE-2020-17397?

CVE-2020-17397 has a severity rating of 8.2 (high).

4

Which software versions are affected by CVE-2020-17397?

CVE-2020-17397 affects Parallels Desktop versions up to and excluding 16.0.0 on macOS.

5

How do I fix CVE-2020-17397?

To fix CVE-2020-17397, update Parallels Desktop to version 16.0.0 or later.

Contact

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