VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability. A malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server may trigger this vulnerability to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted network packet.
Severity = CVSS. Probability = EPSS (FIRST). Exploitation = public signals: KEV, EUVD, ransomware, EPSS above 10 %, no account required.
Exploitation probability EPSS · FIRST
Exploitation signals 3 / 5
- KEV catalog (CISA)20 Nov 2024
- Exploited in EUVD (ENISA)20 Nov 2024
- Used by ransomwareno
- EPSS above 10 %17.4%
- 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
Affected products
- 7.0 <7.0 U3s
- 5.x
- 8.0 <8.0 U3b
- 4.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: 17.4%
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-2024-38812VMware vCenter Server Heap-Based Buffer Overflow Vulnerability8.0 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2024-37085VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability5.9 · Background exploitation
- CVE-2022-22948VMware vCenter Server Incorrect Default File Permissions Vulnerability4.8 · Background exploitation