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NVD / CVE Program· CNA vmware

CVE-2023-20867: VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Plan (action score 49/100)

  • CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild (Jun 23, 2023). Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Jul 14, 2023.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 13.6% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 96.4% of all records.
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. Administrator privileges are required. No user action is required. Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.
  • Fixed version: open-vm-tools (AlmaLinux:8) 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma; open-vm-tools-desktop (AlmaLinux:8) 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma; open-vm-tools-salt-minion (AlmaLinux:8) 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma.
  • Mentioned 1 time in Turkish national cyber security advisories (siberguvenlik.gov.tr).

Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to open-vm-tools (AlmaLinux:8) 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma; open-vm-tools-desktop (AlmaLinux:8) 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma; open-vm-tools-salt-minion (AlmaLinux:8) 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma or later.

Generated automatically from the record's data: CVSS (NVD and CNA), CISA KEV and SSVC, FIRST EPSS, exploit sources, fixed versions. How we calculate it

Primary sources: NVD · CVE.org · CISA KEV · FIRST EPSS

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.

LowCVSS 3.9 · v3.1KEVWeaponized Fix available
Published
Jun 13, 2023
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
13.6% · 96th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

49

Plan

Add it to your regular patch cycle.

CVSS
15 / 40 · 3.9 / 10
CISA KEV
30 / 30 · Listed
EPSS
4 / 30 · 13.6%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
active
Automatable
no
Technical impact
partial

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
3.9
CNA · vmware
3.9
agree

The score given by the assigning authority versus NVD’s independent score. A gap means the severity is contested.

Actively exploited in the wild

CISA added this to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jun 23, 2023. That signals real attacks, not theory.

Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Jul 14, 2023.

Get told when this record changes

  • In CISA KEV: exploitation in the wild confirmed
  • Weaponized exploit exists
  • A fix has been released

If any of these changes, we'll tell you in the daily email digest.

Follow CVE-2023-20867

When you'll hear from us

  • when it enters CISA KEV
  • when exploit code appears or is weaponized
  • when the record is updated (including a fixed version)
  • when EPSS rises 20 points in a week

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Noroxi analysis

What does it mean in your environment?

The assessment above is generated automatically from the record's data; it doesn't know your environment. Our team verifies on your systems whether this vulnerability is actually exploitable and which mitigation is enough.

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Affected systems

Is your version affected?

Pick the product and type the version you run. It's compared with this record's version ranges in your browser; the version isn't sent anywhere.

VendorProduct
vmwaretools
debiandebian linux
fedoraprojectfedora

Affected versions

NVD version ranges (for catalog products). Add the product to your stack with a version and matching uses these.

  • debian debian linux10.0
  • debian debian linux11.0
  • debian debian linux12.0
  • fedoraproject fedora37
  • fedoraproject fedora38
  • fedoraproject fedora39
  • vmware tools10.3.0 and later · before 12.2.5

Versions reported by the vendor

Affected version ranges reported by the assigning authority (vmware). Independent of NVD's CPE analysis and usually ahead of it.

  • VMware VMware Tools

    • 12.2.5not affected

Package-level exposure

OSV and GitHub Advisory data: ecosystem, package and range. SBOM matching uses this table.

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-toolsbefore 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-tools-desktopbefore 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-tools-salt-minionbefore 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-tools-sdmpbefore 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-toolsbefore 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-desktopbefore 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-salt-minionbefore 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-sdmpbefore 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-testbefore 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma
Alpine:v3.18open-vm-toolsbefore 12.2.5-r012.2.5-r0
Debian:10open-vm-toolsbefore 2:10.3.10-1+deb10u42:10.3.10-1+deb10u4
Debian:11open-vm-toolsbefore 2:11.2.5-2+deb11u22:11.2.5-2+deb11u2
Debian:12open-vm-toolsbefore 2:12.2.0-1+deb12u12:12.2.0-1+deb12u1
Debian:13open-vm-toolsbefore 2:12.2.5-12:12.2.5-1
openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.3open-vm-toolsbefore 12.2.0-150300.29.112.2.0-150300.29.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedopen-vm-toolsbefore 12.2.0-4.112.2.0-4.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientopen-vm-toolsbefore 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.60:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientopen-vm-tools-debuginfobefore 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.60:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientopen-vm-tools-desktopbefore 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.60:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientopen-vm-tools-develbefore 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.60:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientopen-vm-tools-testbefore 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.60:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamopen-vm-toolsbefore 0:12.1.5-2.el8_80:12.1.5-2.el8_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamopen-vm-tools-debuginfobefore 0:12.1.5-2.el8_80:12.1.5-2.el8_8
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstreamopen-vm-tools-debugsourcebefore 0:12.1.5-2.el8_80:12.1.5-2.el8_8

+53

Same product

vmware: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2023-34057VMware Tools contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability.
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2022-31676VMware Tools (12.0.0, 11.x.y and 10.x.y) contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability.
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2016-7080The graphic acceleration functions in VMware Tools 9.x and 10.x before 10.0.9 on OS X allow local users to gain privileges or cause a denial
    31Monitor

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-22977May 24, 2022 · VMware Tools for Windows(12.0.0, 11.x.y and 10.x.y) contains an XML External Entity (XXE) vulnerability.
    28Monitor
  • ← EarlierCVE-2022-31693Jun 7, 2023 · VMware Tools for Windows (12.x.y prior to 12.1.5, 11.x.y and 10.x.y) contains a denial-of-service vulnerability in the VM3DMP driver.
    22Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-20900Aug 31, 2023 · A malicious actor that has been granted Guest Operation Privileges https://docs.vmware.com/en/VMware-vSphere/8.0/vsphere-security/GUID-6A95
    30Monitor

Remediation

Which version to upgrade to

Fix versions compiled from the vendor, package registries and Microsoft. Verify the vendor's note before upgrading.

Product / packageFixed versionSource
almalinux:open-vm-tools12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-desktop12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-salt-minion12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-sdmp12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-test12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
alpine:open-vm-tools12.2.5-r0 · Alpine:v3.18Package registry (OSV)
debian:open-vm-tools2:12.2.0-1+deb12u1 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:open-vm-tools12.2.0-150300.29.1 · openSUSE:Leap Micro 5.3Package registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-debuginfo0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-debugsource0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 · Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-desktop0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-desktop-debuginfo0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 · Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-devel0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-salt-minion0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-sdmp0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 · Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.4::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-sdmp-debuginfo0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 · Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.4::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-test0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::clientPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-test-debuginfo0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 · Red Hat:rhel_aus:8.2::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
rocky linux:open-vm-tools0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 · Rocky Linux:9Package registry (OSV)
suse:open-vm-tools12.2.0-150300.29.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Micro 5.3Package registry (OSV)
suse:open-vm-tools12.2.0-4.53.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Server 12 SP5Package registry (OSV)

Exploit status

Weaponized

A ready exploit tool or active in-the-wild use is known for this vulnerability. This should be your top priority.

Research context

For pentesters and researchers: attack profile, score disagreement, timeline, patch commits, credits, variant and chain candidates, bug bounty scope. All derived from existing data; no exploit code.

Timeline

From publication to today: proof of concept, Metasploit module, CISA KEV and fix record. Dates are as reported by the sources.

  1. Published
  2. CISA KEV+9 d
  3. TodayNov 6, 2026+1242 d

No history yet (it accumulates with the daily EPSS job).

Patch and commit links

Commit, PR and diff links among the references. A starting point for patch-diffing and variant hunting; fixes, not exploits.

No commit or PR link among the references.

Credits

All researchers

Finders, reporters and analysts named in the CNA record. Click a name for that researcher’s other records.

No credits in the CNA record.

Variant candidates

Same product, same weakness class, within 18 months. If the patch missed the root cause, the sibling bug is here.

No nightly-computed relations.

Chain candidates

An authentication bypass and a privilege-requiring bug in the same product, published close together: combined they may become an unauthenticated path.

—

Bug bounty scope

No known public program.

Source: bounty-targets-data (public HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti, YesWeHack listings).

National notice (Türkiye Cybersecurity Directorate / USOM)

Official security notices citing this record; remediation advice is on the agency's page.

All national notices →

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • Administrator privileges are required.
  • No user action is required.
  • Special conditions such as timing or configuration are required.

If successful

Confidentiality
low · data can be read
Integrity
low · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
none

Impact can extend beyond the vulnerable component (scope changes).

Attack vector
Local
Attack complexity
High
Privileges required
High
User interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality impact
Low
Integrity impact
Low
Availability impact
None

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-287 · Improper Authentication

CVSS vector

CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

nvd-primary

Root cause

Authentication is added route by route instead of being enforced in one place. When a route added later bypasses the shared middleware, the session check never runs for it.

The bug in code

The whole CWE-287 class

A representative example of this vulnerability class. Not the vendor's source code; it shows the faulty pattern and its fix.

Vulnerable

ts
app.use("/admin", requireSession, adminRouter);
// Route added later skips the middlewareapp.post("/admin-api/config", updateConfig);

Fixed

ts
const admin = express.Router();admin.use(requireSession, requireRole("admin"));
admin.post("/config", updateConfig);app.use("/admin", admin);

Attack context

MITRE CAPEC attack patterns and ATT&CK techniques for this weakness class (CWE). A starting point for detection rules and threat hunting.

Change log

  1. Fix✗ → ✓

For records you follow, these changes also arrive as notifications. →

References

Show all references (9 more)

Vendor advisories and official records. Exploit/PoC links are deliberately left out.

All records