VMware ESXi Compromise Threatens Guest VM Security
CVE-2023-20867

3.9LOW

Key Information:

Vendor: VMware
Status: VMware Tools
Vendor: CVE Published:; 13 June 2023

Badges

📈 Trended💰 Ransomware👾 Exploit Exists🦅 CISA Reported📰 News Worthy

What is CVE-2023-20867?

CVE-2023-20867 is a security vulnerability found in VMware ESXi, a widely utilized virtualization platform that enables multiple guest virtual machines (VMs) to run on a single physical server. This vulnerability poses a serious risk to organizations as it allows a fully compromised ESXi host to undermine the authentication processes between the host and its guest VMs. Consequently, this can significantly compromise the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive data within those guest VMs, potentially impacting business operations and data privacy.

Technical Details

CVE-2023-20867 arises from an authentication failure in the VMware Tools running on ESXi, which could be exploited if the ESXi host is subjected to total compromise. Attackers leveraging this vulnerability can manipulate host-to-guest communications, leading to unauthorized access or modifications of the VMs. The exploitation typically necessitates an operational knowledge of VMware ESXi environments and may involve sophisticated techniques to gain control over the compromised host.

Potential impact of CVE-2023-20867

Data Breach: The vulnerability could allow attackers to access sensitive information stored within the guest VMs, leading to potential data leaks that could harm an organization's reputation and expose customers' personal information.
Malicious Activity Execution: With the compromised authentication mechanisms, attackers can perform unauthorized actions within the guest VMs, which may include deploying malware, stealing credentials, or further infiltrating the network.
Operational Disruption: The integrity of the virtual machines can be compromised, leading to disruptions in business operations. Such disruptions can manifest as service outages, degraded performance, or loss of critical data, impacting the overall functionality of the organization.

CISA Reported

CISA provides regional cyber and physical services to support security and resilience across the United States. CISA monitor the most dangerious vulnerabilities and have identifed as being exploited but is not known by the CISA to be used in ransomware campaigns. This is subject to change at pace as recent news articles suggest the vulnerability is being used by ransomware groups.

The CISA's recommendation is: Apply updates per vendor instructions.

Affected Version(s)

VMware Tools Windows 12.2.5

News Articles

iTnews

CVE-2023-20867

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