VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation
CVE-2024-38813 is a critical-severity improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability in VMware vCenter Server, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 9.8 out of 10. It can be exploited remotely over the network by an unauthenticated attacker, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 8.0 U3b, 7.0 U3s as the first without the flaw, so updating VMware vCenter Server to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. CISA added it to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on November 20, 2024, which means attacks have been observed in the wild.
Attackers are already exploiting this vulnerability, according to CISA.
What to do
- Update VMware vCenter Server to 8.0 U3b or 7.0 U3s, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update vmware_center_server to 8.0_u3b or 7.0_u3s, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- Update vmware_cloud_foundation to 6.0 or 5.0, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
- CISA's required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- Read the advisory on support.broadcom.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
- Until you can update, restrict network access to the affected service so it is not reachable from untrusted networks.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| VMware vCenter Server | VMware vCenter Server | 8.0 up to, but not including, 8.0 U3b; 7.0 up to, but not including, 7.0 U3s | 8.0 U3b, 7.0 U3s |
| VMware Cloud Foundation | VMware Cloud Foundation | 5.x; 4.x | Not stated |
| Broadcom | vmware_center_server | 8.0 up to, but not including, 8.0_u3b; 7.0 up to, but not including, 7.0_u3s | 8.0_u3b, 7.0_u3s |
| Broadcom | vmware_cloud_foundation | 5.0 up to, but not including, 6.0; 4.0 up to, but not including, 5.0 | 6.0, 5.0 |
| VMware | Cloud Foundation | 4.0 up to, but not including, 5.2 | 5.2 |
| VMware | Vcenter Server | 7.0; 8.0 | Not stated |
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
- NetworkCan be exploited remotely over a network, including the internet.
- 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
- UnchangedImpact stays within the vulnerable component.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by NVD.
| Scoring system | Score | Severity | Scored by |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVSS 3.1 | 7.5 | High | CNA (vmware.com) |
| CVSS 3.1 | 9.8 | Critical | NVD |
Official description
The vCenter Server contains a privilege escalation vulnerability. A malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server may trigger this vulnerability to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted network packet.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Improper Check for Dropped Privileges
The product attempts to drop privileges but does not check or incorrectly checks to see if the drop succeeded.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Compartmentalize the system to have safe areas where trust boundaries can be unambiguously drawn. Do not allow sensitive data to go outside of the trust boundary and always be careful when interfacing with a compartment outside of the safe area. Ensure that appropriate compartmentalization is built into the system design, and the compartmentalization allows for and reinforces privilege separation functionality. Architects and designers should rely on the principle of least privilege to decide the appropriate time to use privileges and the time to drop privileges.
- Check the results of all functions that return a value and verify that the value is expected.
- In Windows, make sure that the process token has the SeImpersonatePrivilege(Microsoft Server 2003). Code that relies on impersonation for security must ensure that the impersonation succeeded, i.e., that a proper privilege demotion happened.
More Improper Check for Dropped Privileges vulnerabilities (CWE-273)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: active, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue.
- Deadline for US federal agencies to remediate, set by CISA.
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Third-party and government advisories
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-38813US Government Resource
Other vulnerabilities in VMware vCenter Server
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 9.1 Critical severity
Recent Improper Check for Dropped Privileges vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.2 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
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