CVE-2023-34048 VMware vCenter Server: memory-safety flaw
In plain words: The program mishandles the memory it uses to keep track of data. A specially made input can scramble that memory. Usually lets an attacker crash the program or run their own code with its permissions.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Feb 12, 2024
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 Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability
- Product
- VMware vCenter Server
- CISA description
- VMware vCenter Server contains an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol that allows an attacker to conduct remote code execution.
- Type of flaw
- Memory-safety flaw (CWE-787)
- Confirmed exploited
- Jan 22, 2024
- US federal patch deadline
- Feb 12, 2024
Ask Cleus about it
Ask about a vulnerability, an update, a weird message, or the news. Plain-word answers, free, no account.
Answering about CVE-2023-34048 ·
Questions about CVE-2023-34048
Is CVE-2023-34048 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2023-34048 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Jan 22, 2024, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2023-34048?
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-2023-34048?
Only if you use VMware vCenter Server. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.