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Vulnerability/Patch

Zoom Patches Critical Privilege Escalation Flaws in Zoom Workplace for Windows

Darkintel Team1 min read

Zoom has released security updates for two vulnerabilities in Zoom Workplace for Windows. One of them is rated critical. Both let an unauthenticated attacker escalate privileges over the network, with no special permissions or prior access needed.

The vulnerabilities

  • CVE-2026-108186 (CVSS 9.6, Critical): An improper input validation flaw. An unauthenticated user with network access could exploit it to escalate privileges. It affects Zoom Workplace for Windows from version 7.1.0 up to, but not including, 7.1.8. (ZSB-26023)
  • CVE-2026-108187 (CVSS 8.1, High): An origin validation flaw that also lets an unauthenticated user escalate privileges over the network. It affects all versions of Zoom Workplace for Windows before 7.1.5. (ZSB-26024)

Why it matters
Zoom Workplace runs on a huge number of corporate and personal Windows machines, so it is an attractive target. Because no authentication is needed, an attacker could abuse these flaws to gain higher privileges on a system, then take further steps such as installing malware, stealing data, or moving laterally through a network.

This is also not the first serious Zoom flaw on Windows this year. In July 2026, Zoom fixed CVE-2026-53412 (CVSS 9.8), another improper input validation flaw in Zoom Workplace for Windows, which could let an unauthenticated user take over accounts.

Exploitation status
Zoom has not said that either vulnerability is being exploited in the wild. History shows, however, that attackers often reverse-engineer patches soon after release, so we recommend updating quickly.

Recommendations

  • Update Zoom Workplace for Windows to version 7.1.8 or later. This version fixes both vulnerabilities.
  • Organizations should use their endpoint management tools to find outdated Zoom installations across the fleet and push the update.
  • Turn on Zoom’s automatic updates where possible, so future fixes are applied without delay.
  • Watch endpoints for unusual privilege changes or suspicious processes linked to the Zoom client until patching is complete.

We will update this post if any active exploitation is reported.

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