HOMEVULNERABILITIESCVE-2021-34854
HIGH

CVE-2021-34854

CWE-789Published: October 25, 2021· Updated: Jun 17, 2026

7.8
CVSS v3.1

Official Description

This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Parallels Desktop 16.1.3 (49160). 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 user-supplied data, which can result in an uncontrolled memory allocation. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of the hypervisor. Was ZDI-CAN-13544.

NVD Source

Technical Analysis

CVE-2021-34854 requires local access, meaning attackers must already have a foothold on the target system.

Exploitation requires low privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

A successful exploit results in complete confidentiality breach (data exposure), full integrity compromise (data manipulation), availability disruption (denial of service), with a CVSS base score of 7.8.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability
Attack VectorLocal
Attack ComplexityLow
Privileges Req.Low
User InteractionNone
ScopeUnchanged
Impact
ConfidentialityHigh
IntegrityHigh
AvailabilityHigh
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Affected Vendors & Products

parallels1 product(s)
parallels desktop
Source: NVD CPE · 1 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time
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Official Patches & Advisories

All References (4)

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2021-34854
CVSS Score7.8 / 10
SeverityHIGH
WeaknessCWE-789
CISA KEVNo
Affected1 vendor(s)
PublishedOct 25, 2021

Related CVEs (CWE-789)

Recommended Actions

  • Apply vendor patches immediately
  • Monitor CVE-2021-34854 in threat intel feeds
  • Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts
Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.