CVE-2020-3952 VMware vCenter Server: login or permission bypass
In plain words: A door that should be locked is not: part of the system can be reached without a valid login or permission. The attacker gets in as a user or administrator without knowing a password.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline May 3, 2022
What to do
- Install VMware's security update for vCenter Server. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships.
- Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
- Patch anything in this catalog first, ahead of normal patch cycles.
- Put admin and file-transfer apps behind a VPN or single sign-on instead of the open internet.
Who is affected
Work IT. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.
What's at risk: Mass data theft and ransomware: a single flaw in a file-transfer or email server has exposed thousands of organisations at once.
The details
- Official name
- VMware vCenter Server Information Disclosure Vulnerability
- Product
- VMware vCenter Server
- CISA description
- VMware vCenter Server contains an information disclosure vulnerability in the VMware Directory Service (vmdir) when the Platform Services Controller (PSC) does not correctly implement access controls. Successful exploitation allows an attacker with network access to port 389 to extract sensitive information.
- Type of flaw
- Login or permission bypass (CWE-306)
- Confirmed exploited
- Nov 3, 2021
- US federal patch deadline
- May 3, 2022
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Answering about CVE-2020-3952 ·
Questions about CVE-2020-3952
Is CVE-2020-3952 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2020-3952 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Nov 3, 2021, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2020-3952?
Install VMware's security update for vCenter Server. If no update exists, follow the vendor's workaround or stop using the product until one ships. Keep a list of every internet-facing server you run so nothing is forgotten.
Am I affected by CVE-2020-3952?
Only if you use VMware vCenter Server. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.