CVE-2024-38813: CWE-273 Improper Check for Dropped Privileges in VMware vCenter Server
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.
AI Analysis
Technical Summary
CVE-2024-38813 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability affecting VMware vCenter Server versions 7.0 and 8.0. The vulnerability arises from an improper check for dropped privileges (CWE-273) and potentially improper access control (CWE-250). Specifically, a malicious actor with network access to the vCenter Server can send a specially crafted network packet that triggers this vulnerability, allowing them to escalate their privileges to root level. This means that an attacker who has at least low privileges on the network can gain full administrative control over the vCenter Server without requiring user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a network attack vector (AV:N), high complexity (AC:H), low privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability is related to improper handling of privilege checks within the vCenter Server software, which is critical infrastructure for managing VMware virtualized environments. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the potential for exploitation exists given the network accessibility and the high impact of a successful attack. No patches or mitigations have been linked yet, indicating that organizations must be vigilant and monitor for updates from VMware.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of VMware vCenter Server in enterprise data centers, cloud providers, and managed service providers. Successful exploitation would allow attackers to gain root-level access to the vCenter Server, enabling full control over the virtual infrastructure, including the ability to manipulate virtual machines, exfiltrate sensitive data, disrupt services, or deploy further malware. This could lead to severe operational disruptions, data breaches, and compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR. The network-based attack vector means that attackers do not need physical access or user interaction, increasing the threat surface. Organizations relying heavily on VMware for virtualization and cloud management in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure in Europe could face substantial operational and reputational damage if exploited.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should immediately review their VMware vCenter Server deployments, focusing on versions 7.0 and 8.0. Until an official patch is released, the following specific mitigations are recommended: 1) Restrict network access to vCenter Server management interfaces strictly to trusted administrative networks using firewalls and network segmentation to reduce exposure. 2) Implement strict access controls and monitoring on accounts with network access to vCenter Server to detect and prevent unauthorized activities. 3) Enable and review detailed logging and alerting on vCenter Server for unusual privilege escalation attempts or anomalous network packets. 4) Employ network intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with updated signatures to detect suspicious crafted packets targeting vCenter. 5) Plan for rapid deployment of VMware patches once available and test updates in isolated environments before production rollout. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on virtualization infrastructure. 7) Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure prompt incident response readiness.
Affected Countries
Germany, United Kingdom, France, Netherlands, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Poland
CVE-2024-38813: CWE-273 Improper Check for Dropped Privileges in VMware vCenter Server
Description
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.
AI-Powered Analysis
Technical Analysis
CVE-2024-38813 is a high-severity privilege escalation vulnerability affecting VMware vCenter Server versions 7.0 and 8.0. The vulnerability arises from an improper check for dropped privileges (CWE-273) and potentially improper access control (CWE-250). Specifically, a malicious actor with network access to the vCenter Server can send a specially crafted network packet that triggers this vulnerability, allowing them to escalate their privileges to root level. This means that an attacker who has at least low privileges on the network can gain full administrative control over the vCenter Server without requiring user interaction. The CVSS v3.1 base score is 7.5, reflecting a network attack vector (AV:N), high complexity (AC:H), low privileges required (PR:L), no user interaction (UI:N), and high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability (C:H/I:H/A:H). The vulnerability is related to improper handling of privilege checks within the vCenter Server software, which is critical infrastructure for managing VMware virtualized environments. No known exploits are currently reported in the wild, but the potential for exploitation exists given the network accessibility and the high impact of a successful attack. No patches or mitigations have been linked yet, indicating that organizations must be vigilant and monitor for updates from VMware.
Potential Impact
For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk due to the widespread use of VMware vCenter Server in enterprise data centers, cloud providers, and managed service providers. Successful exploitation would allow attackers to gain root-level access to the vCenter Server, enabling full control over the virtual infrastructure, including the ability to manipulate virtual machines, exfiltrate sensitive data, disrupt services, or deploy further malware. This could lead to severe operational disruptions, data breaches, and compliance violations under regulations such as GDPR. The network-based attack vector means that attackers do not need physical access or user interaction, increasing the threat surface. Organizations relying heavily on VMware for virtualization and cloud management in sectors such as finance, healthcare, government, and critical infrastructure in Europe could face substantial operational and reputational damage if exploited.
Mitigation Recommendations
European organizations should immediately review their VMware vCenter Server deployments, focusing on versions 7.0 and 8.0. Until an official patch is released, the following specific mitigations are recommended: 1) Restrict network access to vCenter Server management interfaces strictly to trusted administrative networks using firewalls and network segmentation to reduce exposure. 2) Implement strict access controls and monitoring on accounts with network access to vCenter Server to detect and prevent unauthorized activities. 3) Enable and review detailed logging and alerting on vCenter Server for unusual privilege escalation attempts or anomalous network packets. 4) Employ network intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS) with updated signatures to detect suspicious crafted packets targeting vCenter. 5) Plan for rapid deployment of VMware patches once available and test updates in isolated environments before production rollout. 6) Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing focused on virtualization infrastructure. 7) Educate IT and security teams about this vulnerability to ensure prompt incident response readiness.
Affected Countries
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Technical Details
- Data Version
- 5.1
- Assigner Short Name
- vmware
- Date Reserved
- 2024-06-19T22:31:57.187Z
- Cvss Version
- 3.1
- State
- PUBLISHED
Threat ID: 68487f531b0bd07c39389def
Added to database: 6/10/2025, 6:54:11 PM
Last enriched: 7/11/2025, 6:33:11 AM
Last updated: 7/30/2025, 8:31:09 AM
Views: 9
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