CVE-2026-44470: anthropic claude_desktop Link Following

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2026-44470 is a high (CVSS 8.5) Link Following vulnerability in anthropic claude_desktop. EPSS estimates a 0.16% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 4.7% of scored vulnerabilities.

Timeline

1. 13-05-2026
   PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
2. 13-05-2026
   Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

The Claude Desktop app gives you Claude Code with a graphical interface built for running multiple sessions side by side. Prior to 1.3834.0, the CoworkVMService component in Claude Desktop for Windows ran as SYSTEM and did not validate whether the VM bundle directory was a real directory or an NTFS directory junction before creating files within it. A local non-elevated user could replace the user-writable VM bundle directory with a directory junction pointing to an attacker-chosen location, causing the service to create a SYSTEM-owned file in an arbitrary directory. This could be leveraged for local privilege escalation. This vulnerability is fixed in 1.3834.0.

• CWE-59Improper Link Resolution Before File Access ('Link Following')The product attempts to access a file based on the filename, but it does not properly prevent that filename from identifying a link or shortcut that resolves to an unintended resource.
• CWE-269Improper Privilege ManagementThe product does not properly assign, modify, track, or check privileges for an actor, creating an unintended sphere of control for that actor.