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Full vulnerability report · 2024
CVE-2024-38813High confidence

VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

VMware · vCenter Server

7.5HighCVSS 3.1
Recommended action
Mitigate now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2024-12-11 as the remediation due date.

Mitigation available
R
Operational reassessment

Published severity in operational context

Open reassessment dashboard →
Published severityHighOperational priority:Critical, raised one band.upgradedsince 20 Nov 2024

Evidence used

  • CISA confirms exploitation in the wild.
  • EPSS is 17.36% for the current model date.

Compensating controls

  • Apply the linked authoritative mitigation while planning the permanent fix.
  • Restrict the affected network interface to trusted sources where business-safe.
  • Increase monitoring for the attack path and post-exploitation behaviour described in the report.

Verification

  1. Confirm that the asset runs VMware vCenter Server and falls inside the recorded affected range.
  2. Recheck the vendor advisory before scheduling a change because no verified fixed version is currently retained.
  3. Validate exposure, authentication requirements and compensating controls in the actual environment.
  4. Reopen this reassessment when CVSS, KEV, EPSS, exploit evidence or remediation changes.
Mitigation target: Within 3 daysRemediation target: Within 90 days

This automated reassessment organises public evidence. It does not know asset exposure, business impact or control effectiveness and does not replace CVSS or a human risk decision.

Optional official sources

National CERT insights
?CERT means Computer Emergency Response Team; CSIRT is the closely related term Computer Security Incident Response Team.

Choose official national sources for this report. Each advisory shows its original language. Your selection is remembered on this device and included in shared links.

Official European source

ENISA European Vulnerability Database

Official EUVD identifiers, advisory evidence and known-exploited context. Missing fields are not treated as evidence of low risk.

1 current
ENISA EUVD identifier

EUVD-2024-37704

CISA KEV mirrored by ENISA

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.

EUVD state
Present in the current official mapping
Known exploitation
Recorded by ENISA since 20 Nov 2024. Evidence sources: cisa_kev.
ENISA score
7.5 · CVSS 3.1
Advisory evidence
2 linked advisory records
Explicit mitigation evidence

Only statements that explicitly mention a fix, patch, update, workaround or mitigation are shown here.

  • csaf_ncscnl · NCSC-2024-0377Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in VMware vCenter Server
Recommended actionMitigate now

CISA confirms exploitation in the wild and lists 2024-12-11 as the remediation due date.

Mitigation available
01

What, why and how

VMware vCenter contains an improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted packet.

What

VMware vCenter contains an improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted packet.

Why

The product attempts to drop privileges but does not check or incorrectly checks to see if the drop succeeded.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

What

VMware vCenter contains an improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted packet.

Why

The product attempts to drop privileges but does not check or incorrectly checks to see if the drop succeeded.

How

An attacker operating through a network path may attempt exploitation with low privileges. If successful, the issue may cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor.

02

Exploit reality and attack path

CVSS severity, EPSS forecast probability, public exploit material and CISA-confirmed exploitation are separate signals.

Observed exploitation
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
Confirmed in the wild

CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalogue on 2024-11-20.

Public PoC / exploit material
?Confirmed exploitation and public exploit material are separate signals. Attacks can occur without public proof-of-concept or exploit code.
None recorded

No exploit-tagged reference or CISA SSVC proof-of-concept state is currently recorded. Research may still exist outside the structured feeds.

Likely attack path
a network path → Improper Check for Dropped Privileges → cause the confidentiality, integrity or availability impact described by the vendor
Attack surface
Network
Privileges required
Low: a basic authenticated account is required
User interaction
None
Attack complexity
High: exploitation depends on specific conditions
Security boundary
Unchanged: impact remains within the vulnerable component's security authority
Weakness
?CWE means Common Weakness Enumeration: a standard category for the underlying weakness.
CWE-273 ↗

CWE-273: Improper Check for Dropped Privileges. The product attempts to drop privileges but does not check or incorrectly checks to see if the drop succeeded.

CVSS vector
?CVSS means Common Vulnerability Scoring System. The vector records the metric values used to calculate technical severity.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Common Vulnerability Scoring System 3.1: the compact vector below is decoded into plain language.

AVNetworkAttack vector: The vulnerable component can be reached over a network.ACHighAttack complexity: Successful exploitation depends on specific conditions outside the attacker's direct control.PRLowPrivileges required: The attacker needs basic user-level privileges.UINoneUser interaction: No action by another user is required.SUnchangedScope: The security impact remains within the vulnerable component's authority.CHighConfidentiality impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.IHighIntegrity impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.AHighAvailability impact: A successful attack can cause a major loss.
Post-exploitation / living off the land
No specific living-off-the-land technique is confirmed in the structured sources. Monitor normal administration tools for activity inconsistent with the affected service's baseline.
NetworkCWE-273CISA KEV
A

Official authority intelligence

Only matched European and national findings are included. Language selectors and unavailable sources are omitted.

ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2024-37704Known-exploited evidence recorded

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.

Official EUVD record ↗
BSI · German · WID-SEC-2024-2175VMware vCenter Server: Mehrere Schwachstellen ermöglichen Codeausführung und Privilegienerweiterung

Ein entfernter, anonymer Angreifer kann mehrere Schwachstellen in VMware vCenter Server und VMware Cloud Foundation ausnutzen, um beliebigen Programmcode auszuführen und erweiterte Rechte zu erlangen.

Official advisory ↗
Canadian Centre for Cyber Security · English · AV24-528VMware security advisory (AV24-528) – Update 1

Updated: October 22, 2024 On September 17, 2024, VMware released a security advisory to address vulnerabilities in the following products:

Official advisory ↗
Cyber Security Agency of Singapore · English · CSA-SB-20240918Security Bulletin 18 Sep 2024

The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore included this CVE in its official Security Bulletin 18 Sep 2024, published on 18 September 2024. Open the linked bulletin for the product, severity and reference information published in that issue.

Official advisory ↗
CERT-FR · French · CERTFR-2024-AVI-0792Multiples vulnérabilités dans VMware vCenter Server

De multiples vulnérabilités ont été découvertes dans les produits VMware. Elles permettent à un attaquant de provoquer une exécution de code arbitraire à distance et une élévation de privilèges.

Official advisory ↗
JVN iPedia · Japanese · JVNDB-2024-009648VMware の VMware vCenter Server における削除された特権に対する不適切なチェックに関する脆弱性

VMware の VMware vCenter Server には、削除された特権に対する不適切なチェックに関する脆弱性が存在します。

Official advisory ↗
KISA KrCERT/CC · Korean · KNVD-6340美 CISA 발표 주요 Exploit 정보공유(Update. 2024-11-20)

VMware vCenter contains an improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted packet.

Official advisory ↗
KISA KrCERT/CC · Korean · KNVD-6338Broadcom 제품 보안 업데이트 권고

VMware vCenter Server에서 발생하는 권한상승 취약점(CVE-2024-38813) [1][3]

Official advisory ↗
NCSC-NL · Dutch · NCSC-2024-0377Kwetsbaarheden verholpen in VMware vCenter Server

Een kwaadwillende kan de kwetsbaarheden misbruiken om zich verhoogde rechten toe te kennen, mogelijk zelfs tot root en willekeurige code uit te voeren op het systeem. VMware meldt in een update van het originele beveiligingsadvies dat misbruik is waargenomen. Details over de omvang en gevolgen worden verder niet gegeven.

Official advisory ↗
03

Patch and workaround

Operational remediation based on structured source evidence.

Status
?Patch availability is based on structured fixed-version fields and authoritative update references. If no fix is verified, check the vendor advisory before making a change.
Mitigation available
Affected
Fixed
No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
Action
VMware heeft updates uitgebracht om de kwetsbaarheden te verhelpen. Zie bijgevoegde referenties voor meer informatie. Update: VMWare heeft aangegeven dat de patches die op 17 september 2024 zijn gepubliceerd niet voldoende zijn om de kwetsbaarheid van CVE-2024-38812 te verhelpen. Hiervoor is een nieuwe update beschikbaar gekomen. Zie bijgevoegde referenties voor meer informatie.
Workaround
No verified workaround is recorded. If business-safe, reduce exposure to the affected interface and allow only trusted sources until authoritative guidance is available.
04

Evidence and provenance

Published 17 Sept 2024 · Last source change 21 Oct 2025, 22:55 UTC · CWE-273 · Improper Check for Dropped Privileges

CVE recordCVE.org · 5.1
CVSS sourceCNA
EPSS source
?The date BlackTree first stored a score for this CVE from the daily FIRST EPSS feed.
FIRST · tracked since 2026-08-14
European sourceENISA EUVD · EUVD-2024-37704
Product sourceCISA KEV
Remediation sourceCVE/CNA references
CWE sourceCNA
NVD statusNVD enriched

Core structured fields are present and their contributing authorities are shown above.

Material change intelligence

What changed after publication

View recent updates ↗
  1. Vendor guidanceAuthoritative vendor guidance changed: removed remediation: advisories.ncsc.nl/ncsc-2024-0377.json.
    Before
    remediation: advisories.ncsc.nl/ncsc-2024-0377.json · vendor advisory: support.broadcom.com/24968
    After
    vendor advisory: support.broadcom.com/24968
    security@vmware.com ↗
  2. Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Mitigation available to Awaiting fix.
    Before
    Mitigation available
    After
    Awaiting fix
    security@vmware.com ↗
  3. Affected versionsThe structured affected or fixed version information changed.
    Before
    8.0 < 8.0 U3b; 7.0 < 7.0 U3s; 5.x; 4.x · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    After
    VMware vCenter Server: 8.0 < 8.0 U3b, 7.0 < 7.0 U3s; VMware Cloud Foundation: 5.x, 4.x · Fixed: No fixed version is explicitly recorded in the structured CVE data.
    CNA ↗
  4. Remediation statusRemediation status changed from Awaiting fix to Mitigation available.
    Before
    Awaiting fix
    After
    Mitigation available
    NCSC-NL ↗
Material fields only · duplicate refreshes suppressed · history retained for the configured operational retention period
CVE published
Added to CISA KEV
Remediation guidance recorded
ENISA EUVD · EUVD-2024-37704↗NCSC-NL remediation guidance↗CISA KEV record↗CVE authority or vendor reference↗Official CVE record (CNA and ADP data)↗NVD record↗
Technical terms and abbreviations used in this report
CVE
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures: the public identifier for one disclosed vulnerability.
CVSS
Common Vulnerability Scoring System: a technical severity framework; it is not patching priority by itself.
EPSS
Exploit Prediction Scoring System: FIRST's estimate of the probability that exploitation activity will be observed in the next 30 days; it is a forecast, not confirmation.
CWE
Common Weakness Enumeration: the standard category describing the underlying software or hardware weakness.
CNA
CVE Numbering Authority: an organisation authorised to assign and publish CVE records.
CISA ADP
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Authorized Data Publisher: structured enrichment added to a CVE record.
NVD
National Vulnerability Database: NIST's enrichment service for CVE records.
CERT / CSIRT
A computer security incident response team that publishes warnings or coordinates incident response.
PoC
Proof of concept: public material that demonstrates or helps reproduce exploitation.
CSAF
Common Security Advisory Framework: a machine-readable format for security advisories.
LoTL
Living off the land: abuse of legitimate tools or system functions during an attack.
Free version - for non-commercial use only.CVE-2024-38813 · cve.blacktree.nl