High CVSS 7.8

Overview

Parallels Desktop Toolgate XML Injection Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Parallels Desktop. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target guest system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within the Toolgate component. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied string before using it to construct an XML document. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of the hypervisor. Was ZDI-CAN-19187.

Risk analysis

This vulnerability is rated 🟠 HIGH.

  • CVSS: 7.8 (HIGH)
  • Detected tags: priv_esc, rce, xml_injection (tag impact: VERY HIGH)

Recommended actions:

  • Fix privilege escalation urgently.
  • Enforce least-privilege and strengthen EDR detection.
  • Patch/upgrade immediately (remote code execution).
  • Reduce exposure (WAF/segmentation), minimize attack surface.

Recommended tools

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