# CVE-2021-34408: Path traversal in Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows

> Privileged user writes logs to user-writable directory, allowing privilege escalation via symlink attack in Zoom Client for Windows.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 27 Sep 2021
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5x62-x2r8-qq76

## What is CVE-2021-34408?

CVE-2021-34408 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows, published on 27 Sep 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows in all versions before version 5.3.2 writes log files to a user writable directory as a privileged user during the installation or update of the client. This could allow for potential privilege escalation if a link was created between the user writable directory used and a non-user writable directory.

Weakness: CWE-59 (Improper Link Resolution Before File Access)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-34408?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Zoom Meetings.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-34408?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-34408 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-34408 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-34408 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows

- [CVE-2021-33907](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-33907/): Code injection in Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2022-28768](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28768/): Local Privilege Escalation in Zoom Client Installer for macOS (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-28763](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28763/): Improper URL parsing in Zoom Clients (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-28757](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28757/): Local Privilege Escalation in Auto Updater for Zoom Client for Meetings for macOS (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2022-28751](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-28751/): Local Privilege Escalation in Zoom Client for Meetings for MacOS (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-34408 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-34408 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows, published on 27 Sep 2021. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-34408 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Zoom Client for Meetings for Windows. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34408/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34408/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-34408
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-34408
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-34408

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-34408/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.