# CVE-2026-7574: Anthropic Claude Desktop Cowork missing integrity check in VM image handling

Source: https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-7574-anthropic-claude-desktop-cowork-missing-integrity-check-in-vm  
Publisher: Junglewise Threat Intelligence, https://junglewise.ai/threats  
Published: 2026-06-24. Updated: 2026-06-24  
License: CC BY 4.0 with a link back

CVE-2026-7574 · Severity: high · CVSS 8.7 · Published 2026-06-24

Anthropic Claude Desktop Cowork contains a security flaw in how it handles its virtual machine (VM) images on macOS. An attacker who has already gained basic access to a user's computer could modify the VM's system files to gain persistent control over the Claude environment. This could allow the attacker to steal sensitive data from folders shared between the computer and the Claude application.

Technologies: [Anthropic Claude Desktop](https://junglewise.ai/threats/technologies/claude-desktop). Vendors: [Anthropic](https://junglewise.ai/threats/vendors/anthropic).

## Quick answers

**Is CVE-2026-7574 exploited in the wild?** No. Junglewise Threat Intelligence has no report of CVE-2026-7574 being exploited in the wild.

**How severe is CVE-2026-7574?** High severity, with a CVSS score of 8.7, published 24 June 2026.

**Which products and versions are affected?** Anthropic Claude Desktop 1.1348.0 through 1.2278.0.

**Is there a fix for CVE-2026-7574?** No fixed version is recorded yet. Check the vendor's advisory in the references below. If you run it, Junglewise drafts a mitigation that fits your setup and applies it once you approve, with senior security engineers behind it.

**How is CVE-2026-7574 attacked?** It is attacked with local access, in a network appliance.

**Am I affected by CVE-2026-7574?** Check whether you run Anthropic Claude Desktop at an affected version. Junglewise does that check for you around the clock: connect your code, cloud and domains, and it matches new vulnerabilities like this one against what you actually run and tells you when one reaches you.

## Technical details

The vulnerability is a missing integrity check (CWE-353) in the Cowork VM image handling logic. The application validates only the presence of the 'rootfs.img' file and a version marker string before booting, failing to perform cryptographic signature or hash verification at time-of-use. A local attacker with unprivileged access as the victim macOS user can modify the root filesystem image. Upon the next boot, the modified image is trusted, granting the attacker persistent arbitrary code execution within the VM and access to any host directories mounted into the VM environment.

## Affected products

- Anthropic Claude Desktop Cowork 1.1348.0 through 1.2278.0

## Timeline

- 2026-06-24: disclosed: Published in NVD dataset

## References

- [https://cfp.recon.cx/recon-2026/talk/DZUQYU/](https://cfp.recon.cx/recon-2026/talk/DZUQYU/)
- [https://takeonme.org/gcves/GCVE-1337-2026-00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001110111111101011111111110000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001010](https://takeonme.org/gcves/GCVE-1337-2026-00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001110111111101011111111110000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000001010)

## Related threats

- [Anthropic Claude Desktop arbitrary code execution via uncontrolled search path](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-88066-claude-desktop-is-anthropic-s-desktop-application-for-interacting)
- [Anthropic Claude Code plugin hash pin bypass in git checkout](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-86063-claude-code-plugin-hash-pin-bypass-allows-bypass-of-hash-pinning)
- [Anthropic Claude Desktop privilege escalation in CoworkVMService](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44470-anthropic-claude-desktop-privilege-escalation-in-coworkvmservice)
- [Anthropic Claude Desktop SSH host key verification bypass](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-44467-anthropic-claude-desktop-ssh-host-key-verification-bypass)
- [Anthropic Claude for Windows privilege escalation in installer](https://junglewise.ai/threats/cve-2026-22561-anthropic-claude-for-windows-privilege-escalation-in-installer)