VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

Are you affected?

Enter the version you run. The result uses only the ranges stored on this record.

The check returns affected, not affected, or incomplete. It does not guess a version that is missing from the record.

• cpe debian/debian linux10.0
• cpe debian/debian linux11.0
• cpe debian/debian linux12.0
• cpe fedoraproject/fedora37
• cpe fedoraproject/fedora38
• cpe fedoraproject/fedora39
• cpe vmware/toolsversion unspecified
• vendor VMware Toolsversion unspecified

How to fix CVE-2023-20867

• Recommended remediation

  Apply updates per vendor instructions. CISA due date Jul 14, 2023.

• Official advisories

  • CISA KEV · cisa.gov
  • CVE.org · cve.org
  • FIRST EPSS · first.org
  • NIST NVD · nvd.nist.gov
  • VulnCheck KEV · vulncheck.com

What to do

Three questions, each answered from this record only. Confirm the vendor advisory before you patch.

Code

The project this record applies to. Exploit listings stay in References.

No public source repository is identified for this product.

Timeline

Detection, updates, and resolution for this record.

1. Jun 13, 2023 · Catalog

   Detected

   VMware Tools contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. An attacker must have root access over ESXi to exploit this vulnerability.

2. Jun 23, 2023 · CISA KEV

   Known exploited

   Apply updates per vendor instructions.

3. Jul 14, 2023 · CISA KEV

   Remediation due

   Apply updates per vendor instructions.

4. Jun 16, 2026 · Catalog

   Updated

   VMware Tools contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. An attacker must have root access over ESXi to exploit this vulnerability.

Sources

• CISA KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2023-20867

  VMware Tools contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. An attacker must have root access over ESXi to exploit this vulnerability.

  cisa.gov
• CVE.orgVulnerability recordCVE-2023-20867

  Official CVE identifier

  cve.org
• FIRST EPSSExploitation probabilityCVE-2023-20867

  30-day exploitation probability 13.5%

  first.org
• NIST NVDVulnerability recordCVE-2023-20867

  A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine.

  nvd.nist.gov
• VulnCheck KEVConfirmed exploitationCVE-2023-20867

  VMware Tools contains an authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module. A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine. An attacker must hav

  vulncheck.com

References

• Mailing List · openwall.com
• Mailing List · openwall.com
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · go.recordedfuture.com
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · information.rapid7.com
• Mailing List · lists.debian.org
• Mailing List · lists.fedoraproject.org
• Mailing List · lists.fedoraproject.org
• Mailing List · lists.fedoraproject.org
• CISA note · nvd.nist.gov
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · cisa.gov
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · mandiant.com
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · mandiant.com
• VulnCheck exploitation evidence · mandiant.com
• CISA note · vmware.com

Freshness

Last verified in this catalog Oct 17, 2026. Significant claims (KEV, EPSS, CVSS, affected ranges) come from the source rows above — open the original publisher for the authoritative advisory.