VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
VMware Tools contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. An attacker must have root access over ESXi to exploit this vulnerability.
A local attacker, with administrative privileges, can achieve full data confidentiality loss, partial data tampering. Federal agencies are required to remediate by 2023-07-14 under CISA BOD 22-01.
This is a Improper Authentication (CWE-287) vulnerability in VMware Tools. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. Exploitation requires local access, higher attack complexity, an administrative account, and no user interaction required.
Probably yes if any of these apply:
CISA added this CVE to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2023-06-23 based on evidence of active exploitation in the wild. Federal agencies required to remediate by 2023-07-14.
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 updates per vendor instructions.
References
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References