Claude Desktop: Local Privilege Escalation via Directory Junction in CoworkVMService
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Local
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Attack requirements
- None
- Impact type
- Privilege escalation
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- Fixed
Attack profile from CVSS 4.0 · CNA. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-269.
Summary
The Claude Desktop app gives you Claude Code with a graphical interface built for running multiple sessions side by side. Prior to 1.3834.0, the CoworkVMService component in Claude Desktop for Windows ran as SYSTEM and did not validate whether the VM bundle directory was a real directory or an NTFS directory junction before creating files within it. A local non-elevated user could replace the user-writable VM bundle directory with a directory junction pointing to an attacker-chosen location, causing the service to create a SYSTEM-owned file in an arbitrary directory. This could be leveraged for local privilege escalation. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.3834.0.
Why it matters now
SSVC decision points
CISA ADP · SSVC 2.0.3
- Exploitation
- None
- Automatable
- No
- Technical impact
- Total
The decision (Track, Attend, Act) also depends on your mission and well-being impact; see CISA's SSVC guide.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| anthropics | claude-code | before 1.3834.0 | 1.3834.0 | Patch available | CNA |
- claude-code Vendoranthropics Affected before 1.3834.0 Fixed in 1.3834.0 Patch available CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 2
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:anthropic:claude_desktop:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | before 1.3834.0 | Vulnerable | anthropics |
| cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | not specified by NVD | Running on | Microsoft |
- cpe:2.3:a:anthropic:claude_desktop:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions before 1.3834.0 Vulnerable ·anthropics
- cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions not specified by NVD Running on ·Microsoft
Remediation
- Fix · CNA claude-code (anthropics) Fixed in 1.3834.0
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2026-44470
References
More anthropics Claude Desktop vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-32406 Claude Desktop: SSH Host Key Verification Bypass Allows Man-in-the-Middle Attack on Remote Sessions CVSS 4.0HIGH 7.4
Sources
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences