# CVE-2023-34298: Pulse Secure Client SetupService Directory Traversal Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

> Local attackers can escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code via path traversal in Pulse Secure Client SetupService.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.0/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:** 3 May 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-jf2j-r53v-m3v2

## What is CVE-2023-34298?

CVE-2023-34298 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Pulse Secure Client, published on 3 May 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Pulse Secure Client SetupService Directory Traversal Local Privilege Escalation Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to escalate privileges on affected installations of Pulse Secure Client. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target system in order to exploit this vulnerability.

The specific flaw exists within SetupService. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of a user-supplied path prior to using it in file operations. An attacker can leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of the service. Was ZDI-CAN-17687.

Weakness: CWE-22 (Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-34298?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Ivanti Pulse Secure Desktop Client, Ivanti Pulse Secure Installer Service, Ivanti Secure Access Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-34298?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-34298 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-34298 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2023-34298 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-34298 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-34298 is a high-severity path traversal vulnerability in Pulse Secure Client, published on 3 May 2024. 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-2023-34298 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Pulse Secure Client. 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-2023-34298/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34298/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-34298
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-34298
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-34298

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34298/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.