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VMware · Tools

CVE-2023-20867

VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

CISA KEV record

CISA date added
2023-06-23
CISA due date
2023-07-14
Known ransomware use
Unknown

NVD risk context

3.9 LOW

CVSS is a technical severity score. CISA’s KEV status remains the evidence that this vulnerability is known to be exploited.

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Attack vector
Local
An attacker needs local access to the affected system.
Attack complexity
High
Exploitation depends on conditions outside the attacker’s direct control.
Privileges required
High
The attacker needs substantial privileges before exploiting the issue.
User interaction
None
No action by another user is required.

Description

VMware Tools contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. An attacker must have root access over ESXi to exploit this vulnerability.

Required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

NVD reference index

Vendor and remediation references

NVD has tagged these sources as vendor advisories, patches, mitigations, or release notes.

Other NVD references (4)

MITRE CWE context

CWE classification

CWE-287 Improper Authentication

When an actor claims to have a given identity, the product does not prove or insufficiently proves that the claim is correct.

View official MITRE CWE details ↗

NVD record timing

NVD record timeline

These dates describe NVD’s record, not CISA’s KEV addition or remediation due date.

NVD published
Jun 13, 2023, 05:15 PM UTC
When NVD first published this CVE record.
NVD last updated
Jun 17, 2026, 05:31 AM UTC
When NVD last changed its analysis or record data.
Advanced: view the technical CVSS vector

This standardized code is intended for security tools and technical analysts. The plain-language risk summary above explains its main points.

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

View NVD record ↗

CISA notes

https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2023-0013.html; https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20867