RCE in Parallels Desktop For Mac

CVE-2026-90894

Parallels Desktop runs prl_disp_service as root. Local clients reach it on the world-writable socket /var/run/prl_disp_service.socket. PrlSrv_LoginLocal accepts peer credentials. No Parallels signature. No admin group. After login, PrlSrv_InstallAppliance lets you pick the appliance folder (sVmParentPath). The daemon unpacks with one string, tar -xf "%1" -C "%2", then Qt QProcess::splitCommand chops that string into words. A quote in the folder name closes early. The leftover text becomes extra tar flags. macOS tar --use-compress-program= runs the named program as root.

Vulnerability class: Command Injection (OS Command Injection)

CVSS v3 metric

CVSS v3 base score 7.8 (High). Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H.

Affected products

Weakness classification (CWE)

References

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2026-90894?
CVE-2026-90894 is a high-severity vulnerability in Parallels Desktop For Mac, classified under OS Command Injection. CVSS score: 7.8/10. Published 2026-09-14.
How severe is CVE-2026-90894?
High severity. CVSS v3 base score is 7.8 out of 10.