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CVE-2024-36486

Parallels Desktop privilege escalation

7.8 HIGHPublic exploitEPSS 0.32%
  1. Published3 Jun 2025

Description

A privilege escalation vulnerability exists in the virtual machine archive restoration functionality of Parallels Desktop for Mac version 20.1.1 (55740). When an archived virtual machine is restored, the prl_vmarchiver tool decompresses the file and writes the content back to its original location using root privileges. An attacker can exploit this process by using a hard link to write to an arbitrary file, potentially resulting in privilege escalation.

CVSS 3.1 breakdown

Attack vectorLocal
Attack complexityLow
Privileges requiredLow
User interactionNone
ScopeUnchanged
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected products

Parallels Desktop20.1.1_\(55740\)

Remediation

No fixed version is recorded in the NVD data. Check the vendor advisory for the latest guidance.

Frequently asked

Is CVE-2024-36486 being actively exploited?

CVE-2024-36486 is not in the CISA KEV catalog. A public exploit reference exists, so treat it as exploitable. Its EPSS exploit probability is 0.32%.

How severe is CVE-2024-36486?

CVE-2024-36486 has a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.8, rated high. EPSS estimates a 0.32% probability of exploitation.

Which products are affected by CVE-2024-36486?

Affected products include Parallels Desktop.

How do I fix CVE-2024-36486?

Apply the vendor's patch or advisory guidance, then verify no affected versions remain across your devices.

How Secuno handles this

Secuno correlates vulnerabilities like CVE-2024-36486 against the real software inventory on every managed device, every day. Rather than a static severity, each match is scored in context: exploit availability, EPSS, the asset's exposure, and business criticality decide where it lands in the queue. If an affected version is present anywhere across your portfolio, it surfaces automatically with a prioritised remediation path.

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Data from the NVD, CISA KEV catalog and FIRST EPSS. CVSS 3.1 base score shown where available.