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NVD / CVE Program· CNA vmware

CVE-2023-20894: The VMware vCenter Server contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol.

CriticalCVSS 9.8 · v3.1—No exploit Fix available

Noroxi assessment

Priority: Plan (action score 49/100)

  • The sources we track (CISA KEV, Exploit-DB, Metasploit, Nuclei, GitHub) show no public exploit code or exploitation in the wild.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 33.9% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 98.4% of all records.
  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it. No account or password is required. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: VMware VMware Cloud Foundation (vCenter Server) 7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1b; VMware VMware vCenter Server (vCenter Server) 7.0 u3m, 8.0 U1b.

Add it to your regular patch cycle. Upgrade to VMware VMware Cloud Foundation (vCenter Server) 7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1b; VMware VMware vCenter Server (vCenter Server) 7.0 u3m, 8.0 U1b 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 · FIRST EPSS

The VMware vCenter Server contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol. A malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server may trigger an out-of-bound write by sending a specially crafted packet leading to memory corruption.

Published
Jun 22, 2023
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
33.9% · 98th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

49

Plan

Add it to your regular patch cycle.

CVSS
39 / 40 · 9.8 / 10
CISA KEV
0 / 30 · Not listed
EPSS
10 / 30 · 33.9%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
proof of concept
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
9.8
CNA · vmware
8.1
1.7 point gap

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

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

Get told when this record changes

  • Not in KEV: no record of exploitation in the wild
  • No public exploit code on record
  • A fix has been released

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

Follow CVE-2023-20894

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
vmwarevcenter server

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 Cloud Foundation (vCenter Server)

    • 5.x and later · before 7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1baffected · 7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1b
    • 4.x and later · before 7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1baffected · 7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1b

  • VMware VMware vCenter Server (vCenter Server)

    • 8.0 and later · before 8.0 U1baffected · 8.0 u1b
    • 7.0 and later · before 7.0 u3maffected · 7.0 u3m

Affected versions

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

  • vmware vcenter serverbefore 7.0
  • vmware vcenter server7.0
  • vmware vcenter server8.0

Same product

vmware: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2023-34048VMware vCenter Server Out-of-Bounds Write VulnerabilityKEV
    99Now
  • CVE-2021-21985The vSphere Client (HTML5) contains a remote code execution vulnerability due to lack of input validation in the Virtual SAN Health Check…KEV
    99Now
  • CVE-2020-3952Under certain conditions, vmdir that ships with VMware vCenter Server, as part of an embedded or external Platform Services Controller…KEV
    96Now

Published before and after this one in the same product

  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-20892Jun 22, 2023 · VMware vCenter Server heap-overflow vulnerability
    40Plan
  • ← EarlierCVE-2023-20893Jun 22, 2023 · The VMware vCenter Server contains a use-after-free vulnerability in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol.
    39Monitor
  • Later →CVE-2023-20895Jun 22, 2023 · The VMware vCenter Server contains a memory corruption vulnerability in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol.
    39Monitor

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
VMware VMware Cloud Foundation (vCenter Server)7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1bVendor (CNA)
VMware VMware vCenter Server (vCenter Server)7.0 u3mVendor (CNA)
VMware VMware vCenter Server (vCenter Server)8.0 U1bVendor (CNA)

Exploit status

No known public exploit

No public exploit has been observed yet. That doesn't mean you're safe, only that the bar is a little higher.

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.

No dated events beyond publication.

Not on record for this CVE: EPSS history · patch commit or PR link · researcher credit · variant or chain candidate · public bounty program.

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Anyone who can reach it over the internet can trigger it.
  • No account or password is required.
  • No user action is required.
  • No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.

If successful

Confidentiality
high · data can be read
Integrity
high · data or configuration can be modified
Availability
high · the service can be disrupted
Attack vector
Network
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-787 · Out-of-bounds Write

CVSS vector

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

nvd-primary

Attack context

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

MITRE has no CAPEC/ATT&CK mapping for this CWE.

References

Show all references (1 more)

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

All records