3.9

CVE-2023-20867: VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

CVSS: 3.9v3.1LowKEVAnalyzed
AliasesSUSE-SU-2023:2530-1SUSE-SU-2023:2604-1SUSE-SU-2023:2604-2
Published 13-06-2023Last modified 21-10-2025
Open JSON

Vulnerability summary

CVE-2023-20867 is a low (CVSS 3.9) Improper Authentication vulnerability in VMware Tools. It is known to be exploited: CISA lists it, first on 23-06-2023. EPSS estimates a 13.53% chance of exploitation in the next 30 days, higher than 96.4% of scored vulnerabilities.

Overall risk
85/100
0100
Critical · default modelHow is this calculated?
CVSS score
3.9/10
010
Low · v3.1 (CVE.org)
EPSS score
13.53%
0%100%
Medium · 0.00 pp in 30 days
KEVListedCISA
RansomwareNone recordedNo known use recorded
Public exploits0No public exploits recorded

Advisory lineage

Upstream 0 · Downstream 4 · Related 2
DSA-5493-1MGASA-2024-0058SUSE-SU-2023:3504-1SUSE-SU-2023:3505-1

Timeline

  1. 13-06-2023
    PublishedVulnerability first disclosed.
  2. 23-06-2023
    Added to CISA KEVVMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
  3. 14-07-2023
    CISA remediation dueApply updates per vendor instructions.
  4. 21-10-2025
    Last modifiedVulnerability information updated.

Description

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.

CVSS metrics

5 scores · 5 sources · 1 version

EPSS trend

Probability

13.53%

Chance of exploitation in the next 30 days

Percentile

96%

Versus all other CVEs

30-day change

0.00 pp

From 13.53% on 18-09-2026

18-09-202618-10-2026
EPSS score
13.53%

Known exploited

Compare KEV catalogs
CISA KEVListed
Added
23-06-2023
Federal due date
14-07-2023

CISA required action

Apply updates per vendor instructions. www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2023-0013.html nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20867

Public exploits

0 found

No public exploits indexed.

Weaknesses

CWE · root cause

Affected systems

Suse18 products
  • open-vm-tools&distro=SUSE Enterprise Storage 7.1< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-ESPOS< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise High Performance Computing 15 SP3-LTSS< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.1< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 5.2< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
Redhat11 products
  • open-vm-tools< 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 | < 0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 | < 0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el9_0.2 | < 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 | < 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el8_6.2
  • open-vm-tools-debuginfo< 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 | < 0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 | < 0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el9_0.2 | < 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 | < 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el8_6.2
  • open-vm-tools-debugsource< 0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 | < 0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el9_0.2 | < 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 | < 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el8_6.2
  • open-vm-tools-desktop< 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 | < 0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 | < 0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el9_0.2 | < 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 | < 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el8_6.2
  • open-vm-tools-desktop-debuginfo< 0:11.0.0-4.el8_2.2 | < 0:11.2.0-2.el8_4.2 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el9_0.2 | < 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 | < 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 | < 0:11.3.5-1.el8_6.2
Opensuse4 products
  • open-vm-tools&distro=openSUSE Leap 15.4< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=openSUSE Leap 15.5< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=openSUSE Leap Micro 5.3< 12.2.0-150300.29.1
  • open-vm-tools&distro=openSUSE Tumbleweed< 12.2.0-4.1
Debian2 products
  • open-vm-tools< 2:12.2.0-1+deb12u1 | < 2:12.2.5-1 | < 2:10.3.10-1+deb10u4
  • debian_linuxEOL10.0 | 11.0 | 12.0
Fedoraproject1 product
Ubuntu1 product
  • open-vm-tools< 2:10.2.0-3~ubuntu0.16.04.1+esm2 | < 2:11.0.5-4ubuntu0.18.04.3+esm1 | < 2:11.3.0-2ubuntu0~ubuntu20.04.5 | < 2:12.1.5-3~ubuntu0.22.04.2
Vmware1 product
  • tools≥ 10.3.0, < 12.2.5

7 vendors · 38 products

References

41 links
Show all 41 references