CVE-2023-28596 in Client for IT Admin Installer
Summary
by MITRE • 03/28/2023
Zoom Client for IT Admin macOS installers before version 5.13.5 contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability. A local low-privileged user could exploit this vulnerability in an attack chain during the installation process to escalate their privileges to privileges to root.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/07/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2023-28596 represents a critical local privilege escalation flaw within the Zoom Client for IT Admin macOS installers prior to version 5.13.5. This vulnerability exposes a fundamental security weakness in the installation process that allows unprivileged users to gain elevated system privileges. The flaw specifically manifests during the software installation phase, creating an attack vector that adversaries can exploit to achieve root-level access on affected systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally undermines the security model of macOS systems by enabling unauthorized users to bypass standard access controls.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper privilege handling within the installer component of the Zoom client software. Attackers can manipulate the installation process to execute malicious code with elevated privileges, effectively allowing them to gain root access without requiring legitimate administrative credentials. This type of vulnerability typically arises from insufficient validation of user permissions during installation procedures, where the installer fails to properly enforce privilege boundaries between standard users and system administrators. The flaw demonstrates a classic security misconfiguration that violates the principle of least privilege, a fundamental concept in information security standards such as those outlined in the CWE database under category CWE-276.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on Zoom client installations, particularly in environments where standard users might have physical access to systems. The attack chain begins with a low-privileged user initiating the installation process and concludes with root-level system compromise. This vulnerability is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where multiple users share systems or where security policies might not adequately restrict installation activities. The exploitability of this vulnerability means that even in well-secured networks, unauthorized users could potentially gain complete system control through a single compromised installation process, making it a high-priority target for threat actors.
Organizations should immediately update to Zoom Client for IT Admin version 5.13.5 or later to remediate this vulnerability, as no known workarounds provide adequate protection against exploitation. Security teams should implement comprehensive monitoring for unauthorized installation activities and maintain strict access controls over system installation processes. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068, which covers 'Exploitation for Privilege Escalation,' and demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date software versions as part of a comprehensive security strategy. Additionally, this vulnerability highlights the need for organizations to implement application whitelisting policies and regular security assessments of third-party software installation processes to prevent similar issues from compromising system integrity.