CVE-2020-3971Network attack vector

Hypervisor memory disclosure via vmxnet3 heap overflow

Published Jun 25, 2020 · Updated Aug 4, 2024

Heap overflow in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows local users in a vmxnet3-equipped guest to read hypervisor memory. The vendor identifies the locus as vmxnet3 but publishes no triggering input, allocation error, or bounds-check failure explaining how guest traffic overruns heap storage. The attacker requires access to a guest with vmxnet3 present, low privileges suffice, and additional conditions outside the attacker's control must align; impact is limited to disclosure.

CVSS severity5.9
Medium
EPSS probability0.33%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Heap overflow in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows local users in a vmxnet3-equipped guest to read hypervisor memory. The vendor identifies the locus as vmxnet3 but publishes no triggering input, allocation error, or bounds-check failure explaining how guest traffic overruns heap storage. The attacker requires access to a guest with vmxnet3 present, low privileges suffice, and additional conditions outside the attacker's control must align; impact is limited to disclosure.

The record

CVE
CVE-2020-3971
Published
Jun 25, 2020
Updated
Aug 4, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware Workstation
Classifications
CWE-787, T1005
Attack vector
network
Privileges
authenticated

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 15.0.2

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · VMware Workstationversion=15.x before 15.0.2
VMware · VMware Fusionversion=11.x before 11.0.2
VMware · VMware ESXiversion=6.5 before ESXi650-201907101-SG; version=6.7 before ESXi670-201904101-SG

Published CVSS scores

5.9VMwareCVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N
2.1NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N
5.5NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N

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

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-787Out-of-bounds Write
T1005Data from Local System

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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