CVE-2020-3968Public exploit

Hypervisor code execution via xHCI Isoch TD parsing

Published Jun 25, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Out-of-bounds write in VMware Workstation 15.x before 15.5.5 and Fusion 11.x before 11.5.5 allows local users to execute hypervisor code. The xHCI controller fails to validate user-supplied Isoch Transfer Descriptor data, writing past an allocated object; the same flaw affects specified ESXi 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0 builds. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a virtual machine and additional conditions, and can crash the VMX process or compromise the hypervisor.

CVSS severity8.2
High
EPSS probability0.57%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Out-of-bounds write in VMware Workstation 15.x before 15.5.5 and Fusion 11.x before 11.5.5 allows local users to execute hypervisor code. The xHCI controller fails to validate user-supplied Isoch Transfer Descriptor data, writing past an allocated object; the same flaw affects specified ESXi 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0 builds. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a virtual machine and additional conditions, and can crash the VMX process or compromise the hypervisor.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-3968
Published
Jun 25, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware Workstation
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 25, 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 15.5.5

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

VMware · VMware Workstationversion=15.x before 15.5.5
VMware · VMware Fusionversion=11.x before 11.5.5
VMware · VMware ESXiversion=6.5 before ESXi650-202005401-SG; version=6.7 before ESXi670-202004101-SG; version=7.0 before ESXi_7.0.0-1.20.16321839

Published CVSS scores

8.2NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/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.

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No observations available

Sep 9, 2026Sep 15, 2026
Latest reporting daySep 15, 2026
Latest daily unique IPsUnavailable
Prior 30-day averageUnavailable
SourceShadowserver honeypots (KEV)
Vectorlocal
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1068Exploitation for Privilege Escalation

Public exploit references

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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