Overview
CVE-2025-31359 is a critical vulnerability in the PVMP package unpacking functionality of Parallels Desktop for Mac version 20.2.2 (55879). It poses a significant threat due to its ability to be exploited for writing to arbitrary files, leading to potential privilege escalation. Considering the widespread usage of Parallels Desktop for Mac, this vulnerability has the potential to impact a large number of systems and users. Rapid mitigation is crucial to prevent potential system compromise or data leakage, thus understanding the details and impact of this vulnerability is of utmost importance for IT administrators, cybersecurity professionals, and Mac users.
Vulnerability Summary
CVE ID: CVE-2025-31359
Severity: High (8.8 CVSS Score)
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: Low
User Interaction: None
Impact: Privilege escalation, potential system compromise, data leakage
Affected Products
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Product | Affected Versions
Parallels Desktop for Mac | 20.2.2 (55879)
How the Exploit Works
The exploit works by manipulating the PVMP package unpacking functionality present in the vulnerable version of Parallels Desktop for Mac. This directory traversal vulnerability can be leveraged by an attacker to navigate through the directory structure to access restricted directories and write to arbitrary files. This could potentially lead to privilege escalation if system files or sensitive information are modified.
Conceptual Example Code
Below is a conceptual example of how the vulnerability might be exploited using a shell command:
$ tar -cf package.pvmp . -C /path/to/target/directory ./
$ ./vulnerable_application unpack package.pvmp /path/to/sensitive/directoryThis shell command example creates a PVMP package with the contents of the target directory and uses the vulnerable application to unpack it into a sensitive directory. This process effectively overwrites files in the sensitive directory with the contents of the package, potentially leading to privilege escalation.
Please note that this is a simplified representation of the exploit and the actual process of exploiting this vulnerability might require additional steps or conditions.
Mitigation Guidance
Users are advised to apply the vendor patch as soon as it becomes available. In the meantime, a Web Application Firewall (WAF) or Intrusion Detection System (IDS) can be used as temporary mitigation measures. These systems can help to detect and block attempts to exploit this vulnerability, providing a layer of protection until the patch is applied.