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.
Attack Parameters
Attack Vector
Local
Requires local access
Attack Complexity
Low
Easy to exploit
Attack Requirements
None
No additional conditions
Privileges Required
Low
Basic privileges needed
User Interaction
None
No user interaction needed
Impact Assessment
Confidentiality
High
Complete data leak
Integrity
High
Complete data modification
Availability
High
Complete denial of service
CVSS Vector v4.0
Weakness Type (CWE)
Vulnerable Products 2
| Configuration | From (including) | Up to (excluding) |
|---|---|---|
|
Anthropic Claude_Desktop
cpe:2.3:a:anthropic:claude_desktop:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
— |
1.3834.0
|
|
Microsoft Windows
cpe:2.3:o:microsoft:windows:-:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
|
— | — |