CVE-2021-34408 : Security Advisory and Response

The Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows in all versions before 5.3.2 is impacted by a vulnerability that allows log files to be written to a user-writable directory as a privileged user. This could potentially lead to privilege escalation if a link is created between the user-writable directory and a non-user-writable directory.

Understanding CVE-2021-34408

This section will cover the details related to CVE-2021-34408, including the vulnerability description, impact, affected systems, exploitation mechanism, and mitigation steps.

What is CVE-2021-34408?

The vulnerability in the Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows allows log files to be written to a user-writable directory with privileged access, posing a risk of privilege escalation.

The Impact of CVE-2021-34408

The impact of this vulnerability is the potential for an attacker to escalate their privileges on the system by exploiting the inappropriate log file writing behavior.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-34408

In this section, we will delve into the technical aspects of CVE-2021-34408, including the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability stems from the incorrect writing of log files to a user-writable directory by the Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows prior to version 5.3.2, allowing potential privilege escalation.

Affected Systems and Versions

All versions of the Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows before version 5.3.2 are affected by this vulnerability, where log files are written to a user-writable directory with privileged user permissions.

Exploitation Mechanism

An attacker could exploit this vulnerability by creating a symbolic link between the user-writable directory containing the log files and a non-user-writable directory to escalate privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section covers the steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-34408, including immediate actions and long-term security practices.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users should update their Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows to version 5.3.2 or newer to remediate this vulnerability and prevent potential privilege escalation.

Long-Term Security Practices

To enhance overall security posture, users are advised to regularly update software, employ the principle of least privilege, and monitor privileged user actions.

Patching and Updates

Zoom has released version 5.3.2 to address this vulnerability by ensuring log files are written to appropriate directories, thereby eliminating the risk of privilege escalation.