vCenter Server Heap Overflow Vulnerability
CVE-2024-37079

9.8CRITICAL

Key Information:

Vendor: VMware
Status: Vmware Vcenter Server; Vmware Cloud Foundation
Vendor: CVE Published:; 18 June 2024

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What is CVE-2024-37079?

CVE-2024-37079 is a serious vulnerability affecting VMware's vCenter Server, which is widely used for managing virtualized environments. This vulnerability involves a heap overflow in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol. If exploited, an attacker with network access could send specially crafted packets to the vCenter Server, potentially resulting in remote code execution. This could severely compromise the integrity and confidentiality of an organization's virtual infrastructure, resulting in unauthorized control over critical systems.

Technical Details

The vulnerability is rooted in the DCERPC protocol implementation within the vCenter Server, where improper handling of specific network packets can lead to memory corruption. This heap overflow condition arises from inadequate bounds checking, allowing attackers to manipulate the server's memory and execute arbitrary code. Exploitation requires network access to the vCenter Server but does not seem to be actively exploited in the wild as of current reports.

Impact of the Vulnerability

Remote Code Execution: The primary impact of CVE-2024-37079 is the potential for remote code execution, allowing an attacker to execute arbitrary code on the targeted server. This can lead to complete control over the affected system.
Compromise of Virtualized Environments: Given that vCenter Server manages multiple virtual machines, exploitation of this vulnerability could lead to widespread compromises within an organization’s virtual infrastructure, risking data integrity and availability across various hosted applications.
Elevated Risk from Network Access: As the vulnerability requires network access for exploitation, organizations must be vigilant regarding their network security measures. Failure to manage network access appropriately may leave the environment open to exploitation by internal or external actors.