VMware ESXi and Workstation TOCTOU Race Condition Vulnerability
VMware ESXi and Workstation contain a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability that leads to an out-of-bounds write. Successful exploitation enables an attacker with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine to execute code as the virtual machine's VMX process running on the host.
A local attacker, without authentication, can achieve full data confidentiality loss, arbitrary modification of data, complete denial of service or system unavailability. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2025-03-25 under CISA BOD 22-01.
This is a Software Vulnerability (CWE-367) (CWE-367) vulnerability in VMware ESXi and Workstation. 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. Exploitation requires local access, low attack complexity, no authentication required, and no user interaction required.
Probably yes if any of these apply:
CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2025-03-04 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2025-03-25.
Manual remediation steps
Apply the Vendor Patch
This vulnerability is in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog — apply the vendor's security update as soon as possible.
CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
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