CVE-2026-53416: Zoom VDI Path Traversal Vulnerability

CVE-2026-53416 Overview

CVE-2026-53416 is a path traversal vulnerability [CWE-23] affecting Zoom Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Client and its associated plugins. An authenticated user with local access to an affected system can leverage the flaw to read files outside of the intended directory scope, resulting in information disclosure and integrity impact on locally accessible resources.

Zoom documented the issue in security bulletin ZSB-26017. The vulnerability requires low privileges and no user interaction, but the attack vector is limited to local access, which constrains remote exploitation potential.

Critical Impact
Authenticated local users can traverse the file system through Zoom VDI Client and Plugins to disclose sensitive information and modify data outside intended paths.

Affected Products

Zoom VDI Client
Zoom VDI Plugins
Refer to Zoom Security Bulletin ZSB-26017 for full version listings

Discovery Timeline

2026-08-11 - CVE-2026-53416 published to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD)
2026-08-11 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2026-53416

Vulnerability Analysis

The flaw is a relative path traversal weakness [CWE-23] in Zoom VDI Client and Plugins. The affected components fail to properly canonicalize or restrict user-supplied path input, allowing sequences such as ../ to reference files outside the intended working directory. An authenticated local user can supply crafted path input that resolves to arbitrary locations reachable by the client process.

Exploitation yields two primary outcomes documented by the CVSS profile: high confidentiality impact and high integrity impact. Availability is not affected. Because the vulnerability requires local access with low privileges, an attacker must already be able to execute code or interact with the Zoom VDI Client on the target endpoint.

Root Cause

The root cause is insufficient validation of path components processed by the Zoom VDI Client and Plugins. Path normalization routines do not adequately strip or reject directory traversal sequences before resolving file operations, allowing the process to access resources outside its intended sandbox.

Attack Vector

Exploitation requires local access to a system where the Zoom VDI Client or a vulnerable Zoom plugin is installed, plus valid authentication on that endpoint. The attacker supplies crafted path input to a client or plugin interface that performs file operations. When the client resolves the path, it accesses files outside the intended directory, returning sensitive content or overwriting protected files.

The vulnerability manifests during file handling within the VDI Client and Plugins. See Zoom Security Bulletin ZSB-26017 for vendor-specified technical details and affected component boundaries.

Detection Methods for CVE-2026-53416

Indicators of Compromise

File access events from Zoom VDI Client processes targeting paths outside the standard installation, cache, or user profile directories
Path strings containing traversal sequences such as ..\ or ../ observed in Zoom VDI Client process arguments or plugin input
Unexpected reads of sensitive files (credential stores, configuration files, user documents) by the Zoom VDI Client process context

Detection Strategies

Monitor endpoint telemetry for Zoom VDI Client process file operations that resolve to paths outside expected working directories
Correlate authenticated local user sessions with anomalous file read or write activity by Zoom VDI Client and plugin processes
Deploy file integrity monitoring on sensitive directories to identify traversal-driven reads or modifications originating from the client

Monitoring Recommendations

Baseline normal Zoom VDI Client file access patterns to surface deviations that indicate traversal attempts
Ingest endpoint process and file telemetry into a centralized data lake for retrospective hunting against traversal indicators
Alert on plugin loads or path inputs containing encoded traversal patterns such as %2e%2e%2f

How to Mitigate CVE-2026-53416

Immediate Actions Required

Identify all endpoints running Zoom VDI Client and Zoom VDI Plugins across the environment
Apply the fixed versions identified in Zoom Security Bulletin ZSB-26017 as soon as they are validated in your change process
Restrict local access to VDI endpoints to authorized users and enforce least privilege on interactive sessions

Patch Information

Zoom has published remediation guidance and fixed versions in Zoom Security Bulletin ZSB-26017. Administrators should consult the bulletin for exact fixed build numbers for the VDI Client and each affected plugin, then deploy updates through standard software distribution tooling.

Workarounds

Limit the set of users who can log into VDI hosts where the Zoom VDI Client is installed until patches are applied
Remove or disable Zoom VDI Plugins that are not required for business operations to reduce the attack surface
Apply application allowlisting and file system access controls that constrain the Zoom VDI Client process to its expected directories

bash

# Example: enumerate installed Zoom VDI Client version on Windows endpoints
Get-ItemProperty "HKLM:\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*" |
  Where-Object { $_.DisplayName -like "*Zoom*VDI*" } |
  Select-Object DisplayName, DisplayVersion, Publisher