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CVE-2025-41244· NVD / CVE Program· CNA vmware

VMSA-2025-0015: VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools updates address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2025-41244,CVE-2025-41245, CVE-2025-41246)

Noroxi assessment

Priority: This week (action score 64/100)

  • CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild (Oct 30, 2025). Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Nov 20, 2025.
  • Probability of exploitation in the next 30 days: 8.4% (FIRST EPSS); higher than 94.9% of all records.
  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it. A low-privileged account is enough. No user action is required. No special conditions are required; it is repeatable.
  • Fixed version: VMware VCF operations 9.0.1.0; VMware VMware Aria Operations 8.18.5; VMware VMware Cloud Foundation 8.18.5.

Don’t wait for the next maintenance window. Upgrade to VMware VCF operations 9.0.1.0; VMware VMware Aria Operations 8.18.5; VMware VMware Cloud Foundation 8.18.5 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

VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability. A malicious local actor with non-administrative privileges having access to a VM with VMware Tools installed and managed by Aria Operations with SDMP enabled may exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges to root on the same VM.

HighCVSS 7.8 · v3.1KEVWeaponized Fix available
Published
Sep 29, 2025
Updated
Jun 17, 2026
EPSS
8.4% · 94th percentile

Report tools

JSON

Action score

64

This week

Don’t wait for the next maintenance window.

CVSS
31 / 40 · 7.8 / 10
CISA KEV
30 / 30 · Listed
EPSS
3 / 30 · 8.4%

CISA SSVC decision

Exploitation
active
Automatable
no
Technical impact
total

Vulnrichment: CISA's decision-tree inputs.

CNA vs NVD score

NVD
—
CNA · vmware
7.8
NVD has not scored this yet; the score shown is the CNA’s.

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 Oct 30, 2025. That signals real attacks, not theory.

Remediation deadline for US federal agencies: Nov 20, 2025.

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-2025-41244

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
vmwarearia operations
vmwarecloud foundation
vmwarecloud foundation operations
vmwareopen vm tools
vmwaretelco cloud infrastructure
vmwaretelco cloud platform
vmwaretools
debiandebian linux
linuxlinux kernel
microsoftwindows

Affected versions

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

  • debian debian linux11.0
  • vmware aria operations8.0 and later · before 8.18.5
  • vmware cloud foundation4.0 and later · up to 5.2.2 inclusive
  • vmware cloud foundation operations9.0
  • vmware open vm tools11.2.0 and later · before 12.5.4
  • vmware open vm tools13.0.0
  • vmware telco cloud infrastructure2.2 and later · up to 3.0 inclusive
  • vmware telco cloud platform4.0 and later · before 5.0.1
  • vmware tools12.5.0 and later · before 12.5.4
  • vmware tools13.0.0.0 and later · before 13.0.5.0

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 VCF operations

    • 9.0.x and later · before 9.0.1.0affected · commercial

  • VMware VMware Aria Operations

    • 8.18.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial

  • VMware VMware Cloud Foundation

    • 5.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial
    • 4.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial

  • VMware VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure

    • 3.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial
    • 2.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial

  • VMware VMware Telco Cloud Platform

    • 5.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial
    • 4.x and later · before 8.18.5affected · commercial

  • VMware VMware tools

    • 13.x.x.x and later · before 13.0.5.0affected · commercial
    • 12.5.x and later · before 12.5.4affected · commercial

Package-level exposure

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

EcosystemPackageAffected rangeFix
AlmaLinux:10open-vm-toolsbefore 12.5.0-1.el10_0.112.5.0-1.el10_0.1
AlmaLinux:10open-vm-tools-desktopbefore 12.5.0-1.el10_0.112.5.0-1.el10_0.1
AlmaLinux:10open-vm-tools-salt-minionbefore 12.5.0-1.el10_0.112.5.0-1.el10_0.1
AlmaLinux:10open-vm-tools-sdmpbefore 12.5.0-1.el10_0.112.5.0-1.el10_0.1
AlmaLinux:10open-vm-tools-testbefore 12.5.0-1.el10_0.112.5.0-1.el10_0.1
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-toolsbefore 12.3.5-2.el8_10.112.3.5-2.el8_10.1
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-tools-desktopbefore 12.3.5-2.el8_10.112.3.5-2.el8_10.1
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-tools-salt-minionbefore 12.3.5-2.el8_10.112.3.5-2.el8_10.1
AlmaLinux:8open-vm-tools-sdmpbefore 12.3.5-2.el8_10.112.3.5-2.el8_10.1
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-toolsbefore 12.5.0-1.el9_6.212.5.0-1.el9_6.2
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-desktopbefore 12.5.0-1.el9_6.212.5.0-1.el9_6.2
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-salt-minionbefore 12.5.0-1.el9_6.212.5.0-1.el9_6.2
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-sdmpbefore 12.5.0-1.el9_6.212.5.0-1.el9_6.2
AlmaLinux:9open-vm-tools-testbefore 12.5.0-1.el9_6.212.5.0-1.el9_6.2
Debian:11open-vm-toolsbefore 2:11.2.5-2+deb11u52:11.2.5-2+deb11u5
Debian:12open-vm-toolsbefore 2:12.2.0-1+deb12u42:12.2.0-1+deb12u4
Debian:13open-vm-toolsbefore 2:12.5.0-2+deb13u12:12.5.0-2+deb13u1
Debian:14open-vm-toolsbefore 2:13.0.5-12:13.0.5-1
openSUSE:Leap 16.0open-vm-toolsbefore 13.0.5-160000.1.113.0.5-160000.1.1
openSUSE:Tumbleweedopen-vm-toolsbefore 13.0.5-1.113.0.5-1.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0open-vm-toolsbefore 0:12.5.0-1.el10_0.10:12.5.0-1.el10_0.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0open-vm-tools-debuginfobefore 0:12.5.0-1.el10_0.10:12.5.0-1.el10_0.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0open-vm-tools-debugsourcebefore 0:12.5.0-1.el10_0.10:12.5.0-1.el10_0.1
Red Hat:enterprise_linux:10.0open-vm-tools-desktopbefore 0:12.5.0-1.el10_0.10:12.5.0-1.el10_0.1

+93

Same product

vmware: all records

Other highest-scoring records for the same primary product.

  • CVE-2026-22719VMware Aria Operations command injection vulnerabilityKEV
    67This week
  • CVE-2026-22720VMware Aria Operations stored cross-site scripting vulnerability
    36Monitor
  • CVE-2026-41723VMSA-2026-0004: VMware Cloud Foundation Operations updates address multiple vulnerabilities (CVE-2026-41722, CVE-2026-41723 and CVE-2026-41724)
    32Monitor
  • CVE-2024-38831Local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2024-38831)
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2024-38830Local privilege escalation vulnerability
    31Monitor
  • CVE-2026-22721VMware Aria Operations privilege escalation vulnerability
    28Monitor

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 VCF operations9.0.1.0Vendor (CNA)
VMware VMware Aria Operations8.18.5Vendor (CNA)
VMware VMware Cloud Foundation8.18.5Vendor (CNA)
VMware VMware Telco Cloud Infrastructure8.18.5Vendor (CNA)
VMware VMware Telco Cloud Platform8.18.5Vendor (CNA)
VMware VMware tools12.5.4Vendor (CNA)
VMware VMware tools13.0.5.0Vendor (CNA)
azl3 open-vm-tools 12.3.5-2 on Azure Linux 3.012.3.5-3 · CBL-Mariner ReleasesMicrosoft (MSRC)
almalinux:open-vm-tools12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-desktop12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-salt-minion12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-sdmp12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
almalinux:open-vm-tools-test12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · AlmaLinux:9Package registry (OSV)
debian:open-vm-tools2:12.2.0-1+deb12u4 · Debian:12Package registry (OSV)
opensuse:open-vm-tools13.0.0-150600.3.18.1 · openSUSE:Leap 15.6Package registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-debuginfo0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-debugsource0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-desktop0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-desktop-debuginfo0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-salt-minion0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-sdmp0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-sdmp-debuginfo0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-test0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
red hat:open-vm-tools-test-debuginfo0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstreamPackage registry (OSV)
rocky linux:open-vm-tools0:12.5.0-1.el9_6.2 · Rocky Linux:9Package registry (OSV)
suse:open-vm-tools13.0.0-150600.3.18.1 · SUSE:Linux Enterprise Module for Basesystem 15 SP6Package registry (OSV)
suse:open-vm-tools13.0.10-slfo.1.1_1.1 · SUSE:Linux Micro 6.1Package 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.

Evidence

  • Proof-of-concept repository on GitHub ×3

Noroxi does not host or link to exploit code. Metasploit module names and Nuclei template ids are shown (names, not code); Exploit-DB entries and PoC repositories are given as counts only.

Public exploit evidence
SourceKindDate
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHubstars:12025-09-30
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHubstars:02025-10-06
Proof-of-concept repository on GitHubstars:22025-11-11

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. First PoCsame day
  3. CISA KEV+30 d
  4. TodayOct 17, 2026+383 d
EPSS, last 120 days+1% in 7 days

FIRST EPSS daily score; only changes of 0.01 or more are recorded (step chart).

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).

Technical details

Attack conditions

  • Someone with local access to the system can trigger it.
  • A low-privileged account is enough.
  • 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
Local
Attack complexity
Low
Privileges required
Low
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality impact
High
Integrity impact
High
Availability impact
High

Weakness class (CWE)

CWE-267 · Privilege Defined With Unsafe Actions

CVSS vector

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

nvd-secondary

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 (4 more)

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

All records