VMware ESXi and Workstation TOCTOU Race Condition Vulnerability
VMware ESXi, and Workstation contain a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check Time-of-Use) vulnerability that leads to an out-of-bounds write. A malicious actor with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine may exploit this issue to execute…
Severity = CVSS. Probability = EPSS (FIRST). Exploitation = public signals: KEV, EUVD, ransomware, EPSS above 10 %, no account required.
Exploitation probability EPSS · FIRST
Exploitation signals 2 / 5
- KEV catalog (CISA)04 Mar 2025
- Exploited in EUVD (ENISA)04 Mar 2025
- Used by ransomwareno
- EPSS above 10 %1.6%
- 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, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, 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, and Workstation contain a TOCTOU (Time-of-Check Time-of-Use) vulnerability that leads to an out-of-bounds write. A malicious actor with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine may exploit this issue to execute code as the virtual machine's VMX process running on the host.
Affected products
- 17.x <17.6.3
- 7.0 <ESXi70U3s-24585291
- 8.0 <ESXi80U3d-24585383
- 3.x, 2.x
- 5.x, 4.5.x
- 8.0 <ESXi80U2d-24585300
- 5.x, 4.x, 3.x, 2.x
Open source packages OSV
Affected libraries according to OSV, with fixed versions.
Timeline
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Published
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Exploitation reported (ENISA)
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Added to the KEV catalog
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CISA remediation due date
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-2024-38813VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation Vulnerability5.3 · 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