Vulnerability

CVE-2024-38813

High· 7.5KEVCVSS7.5EPSS30%

.rules3/5

VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation Vulnerability

VMware vCenter contains an improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted packet.

Threat signal

89/100

Severe

Severity

high

CVSS

7.5

EPSS

30%

Active

KEV

CISA KEV — actively exploited

549d overdue

AffectedVMware — vCenter Server

Added to KEV

2024-11-20

Federal patch due (BOD 22-01)

2024-12-11

Required action (CISA verbatim)

Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

Vendor advisory + references

CISA description: “VMware vCenter contains an improper check for dropped privileges vulnerability. This vulnerability could allow an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server to escalate privileges to root by sending a specially crafted packet.”

CVSS

v3.1Open in FIRST calculator →

7.5/ 10HIGHCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Attack VectorNetworkExploitable remotely over the internet — no local access needed.
Attack ComplexityHighRequires conditions outside attacker's control (race, brute-force, configuration
Privileges RequiredLowStandard user privileges sufficient.
User InteractionNoneFully automated — no victim action needed.
ScopeUnchangedImpact contained to the vulnerable component.
Confidentiality ImpactHighTotal disclosure of sensitive data.
Integrity ImpactHighTotal compromise of integrity — full data modification possible.
Availability ImpactHighTotal loss of availability — full DoS possible.

EPSS

Exploit prediction · 30-day horizonFIRST.org →

29.5%

probability of exploitation in next 30 days

p97

higher than 97% of all CVEs

3-day trend↑ 0pp

Above the FIRST 'patch on a priority schedule' threshold.

Vendor VEX

No VEX statements published for CVE-2024-38813. Vendors publish VEX (Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange) to assert per-product whether a CVE is actually exploitable in their distribution.

SSVCAct

Active exploitation with total impact on essential/support systems

exploitation: active
automatable: no
impact: total
mission: support

Lifecycle

2024-11-20Added to CISA KEVransomware: Unknown
2024-11-20Published
2024-12-11Federal patch due (BOD 22-01)
2026-06-12Last modified1 source

No source-event history recorded yet. New revisions will appear here as ingestors re-fetch this CVE.