Tools: Incorrect Authorization
CVE-2025-41246 is a high-severity incorrect authorization vulnerability in Tools from VMware, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 7.6 out of 10. It can be exploited from the same local network by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. The record lists versions 13.0.5.0, 12.5.4 as the first without the flaw, so updating Tools to one of those releases or later removes the exposure. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.32% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Update Tools to 13.0.5.0 or 12.5.4, whichever matches your release line, or a later version.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| VMware | Tools | 13.x.x.x up to, but not including, 13.0.5.0; 12.x.x up to, but not including, 12.5.4; 11.x.x | 13.0.5.0, 12.5.4 |
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
- AdjacentThe attacker must be on the same local network segment.
- Attack complexity
- HighSuccess depends on conditions outside the attacker's control.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- 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
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:A/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (vmware.com).
Official description
VMware Tools for Windows contains an improper authorisation vulnerability due to the way it handles user access controls. A malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a guest VM, who is already authenticated through vCenter or ESX may exploit this issue to access other guest VMs. Successful exploitation requires knowledge of credentials of the targeted VMs and vCenter or ESX.
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Incorrect Authorization
The product performs an authorization check when an actor attempts to access a resource or perform an action, but it does not correctly perform the check.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Divide the product into anonymous, normal, privileged, and administrative areas. Reduce the attack surface by carefully mapping roles with data and functionality. Use role-based access control (RBAC) to enforce the roles at the appropriate boundaries. Note that this approach may not protect against horizontal authorization, i.e., it will not protect a user from attacking others with the same role.
- Ensure that access control checks are performed related to the business logic. These checks may be different than the access control checks that are applied to more generic resources such as files, connections, processes, memory, and database records. For example, a database may restrict access for medical records to a specific database user, but each record might only be intended to be accessible to the patient and the patient's doctor.
- Use a vetted library or framework that does not allow this weakness to occur or provides constructs that make this weakness easier to avoid. For example, consider using authorization frameworks such as the JAAS Authorization Framework and the OWASP ESAPI Access Control feature.
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other references
Other vulnerabilities in Tools
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.5 High severity
- 3.9 Low severity
VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Exploited
Recent Incorrect Authorization vulnerabilities
- 8.8 High severity
- 7.1 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 8.7 High severity
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