CVE-2025-22224 VMware ESXi and Workstation: software flaw
In plain words: A mistake in the software that attackers have found a way to abuse. Depends on the product — see the description and the vendor advisory.
Confirmed exploited by CISA on · US federal patch deadline Mar 25, 2025
What to do
- Install VMware's security update for ESXi and Workstation. 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 ESXi and Workstation TOCTOU Race Condition Vulnerability
- Product
- VMware ESXi and Workstation
- CISA description
- VMware ESXi and Workstation contain a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability that leads to an out-of-bounds write. Successful exploitation enables an attacker with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine to execute code as the virtual machine's VMX process running on the host.
- Type of flaw
- Software flaw (CWE-367)
- Confirmed exploited
- Mar 4, 2025
- US federal patch deadline
- Mar 25, 2025
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Answering about CVE-2025-22224 ·
Questions about CVE-2025-22224
Is CVE-2025-22224 being exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2025-22224 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on Mar 4, 2025, which means there is reliable evidence of real-world attacks.
How do I fix CVE-2025-22224?
Install VMware's security update for ESXi and Workstation. 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-2025-22224?
Only if you use VMware ESXi and Workstation. Aimed mostly at company systems — you are affected through the companies you use, not your own phone.