CVE-2025-41244: VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability
Source GCVE Database
Exploited in the wild · KEV due 20 Nov 2025 : apply the vendor's fix or mitigations to affected systems now.
Data as of 4 Nov 2026, 17:58 UTC
- KEV deadline
- US federal agencies must patch by this date; a sensible deadline for everyone else. Other KEV due dates
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:HExploitation evidence
t = 0 is the CVE’s publication on cve.org
Disclosed: evidence found.
CVE published 29 Sep 2025
Detectable: no evidence on record.
No public nuclei template indexed
Weaponized: no evidence on record.
No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB
Exploited in the wildExploited: evidence found.
Listed in CISA KEV 31 days after disclosure
Observed by OffSeq MirageSeen by Mirage: no evidence on record.
No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors
Timeline
CVE ID reserved
by VMware by Broadcom
, 166 days before disclosure
CVE published
on cve.org
, t = 0
In Threat Radar
record ingested
, 9 minutes after disclosure
Added to CISA KEV (opens in a new tab)
exploitation confirmed
, 31 days after disclosure
KEV remediation due
US federal deadline
, 52 days after disclosure
A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), CISA KEV (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 4 Nov 2026.
What to do
AI-suggested
Until a fix is available, restrict local access to trusted users only and monitor for suspicious activity related to privilege escalation attempts.
Description
VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools have a local privilege escalation vulnerability (CVE-2025-41244) that allows a local user with non-administrative privileges on a VM to escalate to root privileges. This requires VMware Tools to be installed and managed by Aria Operations with SDMP enabled on the VM.
References
- nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-41244 (opens in a new tab)
- blog.nviso.eu/2025/09/29/you-name-it-vmware-elevates-it-cve-2025-41244 (opens in a new tab)
- lists.debian.org/debian-lts-announce/2025/10/msg00000.html (opens in a new tab)
- support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/SecurityAdvisories/0/36149 (opens in a new tab)
- cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2025-41244 (opens in a new tab)
- support.broadcom.com/group/ecx/support-content-view/-/support-content/Security%20Advisories/VMSA-2025-0015--VMware-Aria-Operations-and-VMware-Tools-updates-address-multiple-vulnerabilities--CVE-2025-41244-CVE-2025-41245--CVE-2025-41246-/36149 (opens in a new tab)
- openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2025/09/29/10 (opens in a new tab)