Description
StrongDM Desktop Application before 23.74.0 (Desktop Client before 53.77.0) on Microsoft Windows stores authentication state, including a JSON Web Token and asymmetric key material, in cleartext in a per-user state file located at C:\Users\<username>\.sdm\state.kv. The file is protected only by default user-level NTFS permissions. Exploitation requires local read access to the affected user's profile directory and additional deployment and execution conditions on the target host. The condition was reported through coordinated disclosure by Hope Walker (SpecterOps).
Problem types
CWE-312 Cleartext Storage of Sensitive Information
CWE-522 Insufficiently Protected Credentials
Product status
Any version before 23.74.0
Any version before 53.77.0
Timeline
| 2025-05-19: | Initial coordinated disclosure submission received from SpecterOps. |
| 2025-12-12: | Vendor reproduction testing performed on StrongDM Desktop Application 23.51.0. |
| 2026-04-01: | Fix released in StrongDM Desktop Application 23.74.0 / Desktop Client 53.77.0. |
| 2026-04-01: | Patch validation completed; condition not reproducible on the fixed release. |
| 2026-05-30: | Public disclosure and CVE publication. |
Credits
Hope Walker, SpecterOps
References
security.strongdm.com/...6fde839-9388-4361-8d3b-9baa7b2de2ed (StrongDM Security Advisory)
specterops.io/...01/cve-2026-4387-strongdm-state-file-reuse/