Cyber Resilience

CVE-2024-6153

Parallels Desktop ≤ 18.1.0

Published
20 June 2024
Modified
21 November 2024
CVSS Score v3.1 7.8
Click a component to see what it means
Raw vectorCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
EPSS Score 0.0029 21th percentile
Risk Priority 56 floored blend · peak EPSS

CVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.

Summary

CVE-2024-6153 is a high-severity Protection Mechanism Failure (CWE-693) vulnerability in Parallels Parallels Desktop. Its CVSS base score is 7.8 (High).

Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism (T1548); ranked at the 21th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.

The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to AC-3 (Access Enforcement) and AC-4 (Information Flow Enforcement) — see the control section below for these in your framework.

OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)

A06:2025 Insecure Design

EU & UK References

Vulnerability Data

Parallels Desktop Updater Protection Mechanism Failure Software Downgrade Vulnerability. This vulnerability allows local attackers to downgrade Parallels software on affected installations of Parallels Desktop. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target host system…

more

in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the Updater service. The issue results from the lack of proper validation of version information before performing an update. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of root. Was ZDI-CAN-19481.

CWE(s)
CWE-693NVD-CWE-Other

Related Threats

MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise Techniques

T1548 Abuse Elevation Control Mechanism Privilege Escalation
Adversaries may circumvent mechanisms designed to control privilege elevation to gain higher-level permissions.
attack.mitre.org →
T1553 Subvert Trust Controls Defense Impairment
Adversaries may undermine security controls that will either warn users of untrusted activity or prevent execution of untrusted programs.
attack.mitre.org →
T1553.005 Mark-of-the-Web Bypass Defense Impairment
Adversaries may abuse specific file formats to subvert Mark-of-the-Web (MOTW) controls.
attack.mitre.org →
T1600 Weaken Encryption Defense Impairment
Adversaries may compromise a network device’s encryption capability in order to bypass encryption that would otherwise protect data communications.
attack.mitre.org →
T1689 Downgrade Attack Defense Impairment
Adversaries may downgrade or use a version of system features that may be outdated, vulnerable, and/or does not support updated security controls.
attack.mitre.org →
T1040 Network Sniffing Credential Access
Adversaries may passively sniff network traffic to capture information about an environment, including authentication material passed over the network.
attack.mitre.org →
Derived from this CVE’s CWE(s) via the direct CWE→ATT&CK cross-walk.

CVEs Like This One

CVE-2023-50228Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2024-6240Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2023-27323Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2023-27327Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2023-50227Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2025-31359Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2023-27328Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2024-54189Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2024-52561Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop
CVE-2024-36486Same product: Parallels Parallels Desktop

Affected Assets

parallels
parallels desktop
≤ 18.1.0

Mitigating Controls

Control response

Prevent
Stop it (NIST 800-53)

—

Detect
Catch it (NIST detect / respond)

—

Harden
Shrink the surface (DISA STIG)
  • 6 hardening rules · 4 OS baselines
Validate
Prove the fix (OWASP ASVS)
  • V6.3.3
  • V6.6.3
  • V10.2.2

Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI

AC-3 Access Enforcement good match

AC-3 directly requires enforcement of access authorizations via the protection mechanism itself.

AC-4 Information Flow Enforcement good match

AC-4 mandates use of information flow enforcement mechanisms to control data movement.

SC-2 Separation of System and User Functionality good match

SC-2 requires separation of user and system functionality as a protection mechanism.

SC-28 Protection of Information at Rest good match

SC-28 requires protection mechanisms for information at rest.

SC-3 Security Function Isolation good match

SC-3 requires isolation of security functions from non-security functions.

SC-7 Boundary Protection good match

SC-7 requires boundary protection mechanisms to monitor and control external communications.

Mitigating Controls (NIST CSF 2.0) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→CSF cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

PR.AA-03 mostly match
prevents

Enforcing authentication directly implements a core protection mechanism whose absence or misuse is the CWE.

PR.AA-05 mostly match
prevents

Defining and enforcing access authorizations is a protection mechanism; proper use prevents the CWE.

PR.DS-01 mostly match
prevents

Cryptographic and integrity controls are protection mechanisms whose correct deployment mitigates the CWE.

PR.DS-02 mostly match
prevents

Encryption and integrity protections for transit are explicit protection mechanisms.

PR.IR-01 mostly match
prevents

Logical network protections are protection mechanisms whose failure matches the CWE.

PR.PS-01 partial match
prevents

Hardened configuration baselines ensure protection mechanisms are correctly applied and maintained.

Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI

Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.

A.5.36 Compliance with policies, rules and standards for information security partial match
finds

Systematic verification that security mechanisms operate according to defined standards reduces the likelihood that protection mechanisms are bypassed or disabled.

A.8.20 Networks security partial match
mitigates

Hardening devices, disabling vulnerable protocols, and maintaining accurate network diagrams reduce the likelihood that a protection mechanism is misconfigured or left in a weak state.

Hardening callouts derived

Configuration rules from DISA STIG baselines that bear on weaknesses of the type cited by this CVE. Each rule is shown with the relationship its mapping actually records, against the CWE it was authored against. Derived via CVE→CWE over `controls_xwalks` (authoritative rows only; rows rated `none` are excluded).

Oracle Linux 8 (2 rules)
  • V-248524 OL 8 must implement NIST FIPS-validated cryptography for the following: To provision digital signatures, to generate cryptographic hashes, and to protect data requiring data-at-rest protections in accordance with applicable federal laws, Executive Orders, directives, policies, regulations, and standards. prevents CWE-693
  • V-248525 All OL 8 local disk partitions must implement cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure or modification of all information that requires at-rest protection. prevents CWE-693
Windows 10 (2 rules)
  • V-220865 The Windows Remote Management (WinRM) service must not use Basic authentication. prevents CWE-693
  • V-220812 Credential Guard must be running on Windows 10 domain-joined systems. prevents CWE-693
Windows Server 2016 (1 rule)
  • V-225012 Windows Server 2016 must be running Credential Guard on domain-joined member servers. prevents CWE-693
Windows Server 2019 (1 rule)
  • V-205907 Windows Server 2019 must be running Credential Guard on domain-joined member servers. prevents CWE-693

References