# CVE-2024-6974: Cato Networks Windows SDP Client Local Privilege Escalation via self-upgrade

> A local attacker can escalate privileges via the self-upgrade mechanism in the Cato Networks Windows SDP Client.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/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:** 31 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 31 Jul 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-24g8-xhgr-ch6g

## What is CVE-2024-6974?

CVE-2024-6974 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cato Networks SDP Client, published on 31 Jul 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Cato Networks Windows SDP Client Local Privilege Escalation via self-upgradeThis issue affects SDP Client: before 5.10.34.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path), CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-6974?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Catonetworks Cato Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-6974?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-6974 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-6974 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-6974 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Cato Networks SDP Client

- [CVE-2024-6975](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6975/): Cato Networks Windows SDP Client Local Privilege Escalation via openssl configuration file (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2023-43976](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-43976/): Race condition in n/a (high 8.1)
- [CVE-2024-6973](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6973/): Remote Code Execution in Cato Windows SDP client via crafted URLs (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2024-6977](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6977/): Cato Networks Windows SDP Client Sensitive data in trace logs can lead to account takeover (medium 6.5)
- [CVE-2025-3886](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-3886/): CatoNetworks CatoClient up to 5.8 PrivilegedHelperTool Race Condition (medium 5.7)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-6974 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-6974 is a high-severity vulnerability in Cato Networks SDP Client, published on 31 Jul 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-2024-6974 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Cato Networks SDP 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-2024-6974/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6974/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-6974
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-6974
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-6974

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-6974/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.