High · published September 29, 2025
CVSS calls it high at 7.8. It is confirmed in active exploitation. It sits in the 95.1th percentile for exploit probability.
⚡ A crafty local actor could snag root access! A privilege escalation vulnerability in VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools is making waves, and it's a sneaky one! Think of this like a guest at a party slipping into the host’s private room when they think no one is looking. If someone with limited access knows how to exploit this vulnerability, they could gain the ultimate control over the virtual machine—just like accessing the party’s secret stash of snacks! If exploited, an attacker could escalate their permissions to root on the VM, potentially gaining unrestricted control over the system. This means they could install malicious software, access sensitive data, or disrupt operations—an absolutely devastating scenario for any organization!
Think of this like a guest at a party slipping into the host’s private room when they think no one is looking. If someone with limited access knows how to exploit this vulnerability, they could gain the ultimate control over the virtual machine—just like accessing the party’s secret stash of snacks! This local privilege escalation vulnerability allows malicious actors with non-administrative privileges to elevate to root access on a VM managed by VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools with SDMP enabled.
If exploited, an attacker could escalate their permissions to root on the VM, potentially gaining unrestricted control over the system. This means they could install malicious software, access sensitive data, or disrupt operations—an absolutely devastating scenario for any organization! To safeguard your system, ensure you update VMware Tools and Aria Operations to the latest versions as soon as possible. Additionally, limit VM access to only trusted users and monitor any unusual activities. Don't let that party go wild! You've got this! With these steps, you can secure your virtual environment in no time! 🛡️
| Product | Versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|
| vmware/aria_operations | ≥ 8.0, < 8.18.5 | 8.18.5 |
| vmware/cloud_foundation | ≥ 4.0, ≤ 5.2.2 | — |
| vmware/cloud_foundation_operations | all versions | — |
| vmware/open_vm_tools | ≥ 11.2.0, < 12.5.4 | 12.5.4 |
| vmware/open_vm_tools | all versions | — |
| vmware/telco_cloud_infrastructure | ≥ 2.2, ≤ 3.0 | — |
| vmware/telco_cloud_platform | ≥ 4.0, < 5.0.1 | 5.0.1 |
| debian/debian_linux | all versions | — |
| vmware/tools | ≥ 12.5.0, < 12.5.4 | 12.5.4 |
| vmware/tools | ≥ 13.0.0.0, < 13.0.5.0 | 13.0.5.0 |