VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with sufficient Active Directory (AD) permissions can gain full access to an ESXi host that was previously configured to use AD for user management…
Severity = CVSS. Probability = EPSS (FIRST). Exploitation = public signals: KEV, EUVD, ransomware, EPSS above 10 %, no account required.
Exploitation probability EPSS · FIRST
Exploitation signals 4 / 5
- KEV catalog (CISA)30 Jul 2024
- Exploited in EUVD (ENISA)30 Jul 2024
- Used by ransomwareyes
- EPSS above 10 %26.8%
- No account, over the networkno
What to do
Fix
Apply the vendor’s fix as soon as it is available.
CISA guidance: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Meanwhile
Take the service off the internet or restrict access to it, watch the logs and look for signs of compromise.
Manufacturers (CRA)
Exploited vulnerability in your product: early warning to ENISA within 24 h, then notification within 72 h (Article 14 of the Cyber Resilience Act). The CRA explained
Description ENISA EUVD
VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with sufficient Active Directory (AD) permissions can gain full access to an ESXi host that was previously configured to use AD for user management https://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2012/09/joining-vsphere-hosts-to-active-directory.html by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD.
Affected products
- 8.0 <ESXi80U3-24022510
- 4.x
- 7.0
- 5.x
Open source packages OSV
Affected libraries according to OSV, with fixed versions.
Timeline
-
Published
-
Exploitation reported (ENISA)
-
Added to the KEV catalog
-
CISA remediation due date
-
EPSS peak: 26.8%
References
Other exploited vulnerabilities from the same vendor
- CVE-2025-22226VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion Information Disclosure Vulnerability4.1 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2025-22225VMware ESXi Arbitrary Write Vulnerability5.1 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2025-22224VMware ESXi and Workstation TOCTOU Race Condition Vulnerability5.0 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2024-38813VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation Vulnerability5.3 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2024-38812VMware vCenter Server Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability8.0 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2022-22948VMware vCenter Server Incorrect Default File Permissions Vulnerability4.8 · Background exploitation