VMware Releases vCenter Server Update to Fix Critical RCE Vulnerability

VMware has released software updates to address an already patched security flaw in vCenter Server that could pave the way for remote code execution.

The vulnerability, tracked as CVE-2024-38812 (CVSS score: 9.8), concerns a case of heap-overflow vulnerability in the implementation of the DCE/RPC protocol.

“A malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server may trigger this vulnerability by sending a specially crafted network packet potentially leading to remote code execution,” Broadcom-owned virtualization services provider said.

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The flaw was originally reported by zbl and srs of team TZL at the Matrix Cup cybersecurity competition held in China earlier this year.

“VMware by Broadcom has determined that the vCenter patches released on September 17, 2024 did not fully address CVE-2024-38812,” the company noted.

Patches for the flaw are available in the below vCenter Server versions –

• 8.0 U3d
• 8.0 U2e, and
• 7.0 U3t

It’s also available as an asynchronous patch for VMware Cloud Foundation versions 5.x, 5.1.x, and 4.x. There are no known mitigations.

While there is no evidence that the vulnerability has been ever exploited in the wild, users are advised to update to the latest versions to safeguard against potential threats.

In July 2021, China passed a law that requires vulnerabilities discovered by researchers in the country to be promptly disclosed to the government and the product’s manufacturer, raising concerns that it could help nation-state adversaries stockpile zero-days and weaponize them to their advantage.

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