CVE-2020-3948

Root code execution via unvalidated shared-object path

Published Mar 16, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Local privilege escalation in VMware Workstation 15.x before 15.5.2 and Fusion 11.x before 11.5.2 allows local users to execute code as root. The Virtual Printer module loads a shared object from a user-supplied path without validating that path, placing low-privileged code in a root process. Exploitation requires nonadministrative access to a Linux guest with virtual printing enabled, which is disabled by default.

CVSS severity7.8
High
EPSS probability0.28%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Local privilege escalation in VMware Workstation 15.x before 15.5.2 and Fusion 11.x before 11.5.2 allows local users to execute code as root. The Virtual Printer module loads a shared object from a user-supplied path without validating that path, placing low-privileged code in a root process. Exploitation requires nonadministrative access to a Linux guest with virtual printing enabled, which is disabled by default.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-3948
Published
Mar 16, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware Workstation
Classifications
CWE-732, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 16, 2020CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 4, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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Is a vulnerable build present?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=15.x before 15.5.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · VMware Workstationversion=15.x before 15.5.2
VMware · VMware Fusionversion=11.x before 11.5.2

Published CVSS scores

7.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
4.6NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P
7.8Trend Micro Zero Day InitiativeCVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

CVSS describes severity. EPSS estimates exploitation probability.

Attacks

What attackers are doing with it

Daily unique IPs observed by Shadowserver honeypots for known exploited vulnerabilities (KEVs). Missing observations do not establish an absence of attacks.

Daily unique IPsNo honeypot observations are available for this CVE in the selected window.

No observations available

Sep 10, 2026Sep 16, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 16, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-732Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

No public exploit references are available in this record.

Labels summarize the accepted research assessment. They do not indicate a test against your environment.

Technologies

Your stack

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Your stack

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