CVE-2023-28601
📋 TL;DR
This vulnerability in Zoom for Windows allows a malicious user to manipulate protected memory buffers, potentially compromising the integrity of the Zoom client. It affects Windows users running Zoom versions before 5.14.0. Attackers could exploit this to cause crashes or potentially execute arbitrary code.
💻 Affected Systems
- Zoom Client for Windows
📦 What is this software?
Zoom by Zoom
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Remote code execution leading to complete system compromise, data theft, or lateral movement within the network.
Likely Case
Client crashes, denial of service, or limited memory corruption leading to unstable application behavior.
If Mitigated
Minimal impact if patched promptly; isolated client issues without system-wide compromise.
🎯 Exploit Status
Requires local access or ability to interact with the Zoom client process; no public exploit code available at disclosure.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: 5.14.0 and later
Vendor Advisory: https://explore.zoom.us/en/trust/security/security-bulletin/
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Open Zoom client. 2. Click profile icon → Check for Updates. 3. Install update to version 5.14.0 or later. 4. Restart Zoom client.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Disable automatic updates temporarily
windowsPrevent vulnerable clients from updating automatically while planning patch deployment
Not applicable - configure via Zoom settings or group policy
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict user permissions to prevent local exploitation
- Monitor for unusual Zoom process behavior or crashes
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check Zoom version in Settings → About. If version is below 5.14.0, system is vulnerable.Check Version:
wmic product where name="Zoom" get versionVerify Fix Applied:
Confirm Zoom version is 5.14.0 or higher in Settings → About.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Zoom process crashes, memory access violations in Windows Event Logs
Network Indicators:
- Unusual outbound connections from Zoom process
SIEM Query:
EventID=1000 OR EventID=1001 AND ProcessName="Zoom.exe"