Authentication Bypass Vulnerability in VMware Tools for Windows
CVE-2025-22230

7.8HIGH

Key Information:

Vendor: VMware
Status: Vmware Tools
Vendor: CVE Published:; 25 March 2025

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What is CVE-2025-22230?

CVE-2025-22230 is an authentication bypass vulnerability discovered in VMware Tools for Windows, a suite of utilities designed to enhance virtual machine operations in VMware environments. This vulnerability arises from inadequate access controls, allowing a malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a guest virtual machine (VM) to perform elevated operations within that VM. If exploited, this flaw can significantly compromise the security and integrity of virtualized systems, potentially leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data and disruptive actions within the affected environment.

Technical Details

The vulnerability stems from the inability of VMware Tools for Windows to properly enforce access controls. Specifically, an attacker who has gained access to a guest VM without administrative rights can bypass authentication measures and execute high-privilege operations. The lack of stringent checks means that even users with limited privileges can leverage this vulnerability to escalate their access rights within the VM. This flaw underscores critical weaknesses in the security architecture of VMware’s virtualization products.

Potential Impact of CVE-2025-22230

Unauthorized Access: The primary impact is that attackers can gain unauthorized access to high-privilege functions within a guest VM, which they would otherwise not be permitted to use. This can lead to data manipulation and other malicious activities.
Data Breaches: With elevated privileges, an attacker could potentially access sensitive data stored within the VM, leading to data breaches that can have severe repercussions for organizations, including legal and financial liabilities.
System Integrity Compromise: The ability to perform high-privilege operations increases the risk of compromising the overall integrity of the affected system. Malicious users might install unauthorized software, deploy malware, or alter VM configurations, resulting in a significant threat to organizational security.

Affected Version(s)

VMware Tools Windows 12.x.x, 11.x.x < 12.5.1

News Articles

TechRepublic

CVE-2025-22230

Update VMware Tools for Windows NOW: High-Severity Flaw Lets Hackers Bypass Authentication

CVE-2025-22230 is described as an "authentication bypass vulnerability" by Broadcom, allowing hackers to perform high-privilege operations without the necessary credentials.