VMware ESXi: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
CVE-2024-22255 is a high-severity allocation of resources without limits or throttling vulnerability in VMware ESXi, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.1 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions ESXi80U2sb-23305545, ESXi80U1d-23299997, ESXi70U3p-23307199 as the first without the flaw, so updating VMware ESXi to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 2.31% chance of exploitation within 30 days, higher than 84% of scored CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update VMware ESXi to ESXi80U2sb-23305545 or ESXi80U1d-23299997 or ESXi70U3p-23307199, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update VMware Workstation to 17.5.1 or a later version.
- Update VMware Fusion to 13.5.1 or a later version.
- Read the advisory on vmware.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| VMware ESXi | VMware ESXi | 8.0 up to, but not including, ESXi80U2sb-23305545; 8.0 up to, but not including, ESXi80U1d-23299997; 7.0 up to, but not including, ESXi70U3p-23307199 | ESXi80U2sb-23305545, ESXi80U1d-23299997, ESXi70U3p-23307199 |
| VMware Workstation | VMware Workstation | 17.x up to, but not including, 17.5.1 | 17.5.1 |
| VMware Fusion | VMware Fusion | 13.x up to, but not including, 13.5.1 | 13.5.1 |
| VMware Cloud Foundation | VMware Cloud Foundation | 5.x; 4.x | Not stated |
| VMware | Cloud Foundation | 4.0 through 5.0 | Not stated |
| VMware | Workstation | 17.0.0 up to, but not including, 17.5.1 | 17.5.1 |
| VMware | Esxi | 7.0; 7.0.0; 8.0 | Not stated |
| VMware | Fusion | 13.0.0 up to, but not including, 13.5.1 | 13.5.1 |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- NoneNo account or login is needed.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- NoneNothing can be modified.
- Availability
- NoneAvailability is not affected.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N. Scored by CNA (vmware.com).
Official description
VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion contain an information disclosure vulnerability in the UHCI USB controller. A malicious actor with administrative access to a virtual machine may be able to exploit this issue to leak memory from the vmx process.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling
The product allocates a reusable resource or group of resources on behalf of an actor without imposing any intended restrictions on the size or number of resources that can be allocated.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Clearly specify the minimum and maximum expectations for capabilities, and dictate which behaviors are acceptable when resource allocation reaches limits.
- Limit the amount of resources that are accessible to unprivileged users. Set per-user limits for resources. Allow the system administrator to define these limits. Be careful to avoid CWE-410.
- For any security checks that are performed on the client side, ensure that these checks are duplicated on the server side, in order to avoid CWE-602. Attackers can bypass the client-side checks by modifying values after the checks have been performed, or by changing the client to remove the client-side checks entirely. Then, these modified values would be submitted to the server.
More Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling vulnerabilities (CWE-770)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: partial).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in VMware ESXi
- 8.2 High severity
VMware ESXi Arbitrary Write Exploited
- 7.2 High severity
VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Exploited
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.2 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
VMware ESXi OpenSLP Use-After-Free Exploited
Recent Allocation of Resources Without Limits or Throttling vulnerabilities
- 8.6 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
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