CVE-2021-22040

Host VMX code execution via XHCI use-after-free

Published Feb 16, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Use-after-free in the XHCI USB controller in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows local users to execute code in the host VMX process. The controller continues to access an XHCI object after its memory has been freed, although VMware has not disclosed the affected routine or lifetime transition. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a virtual machine and crosses the guest boundary to host-side code execution.

CVSS severity8.4
High
EPSS probability0.73%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
Coverage for this vulnerability

See if you're affected

Explore vulnerability checks for your environment with Hinoki.

Book a demo

Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in the XHCI USB controller in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows local users to execute code in the host VMX process. The controller continues to access an XHCI object after its memory has been freed, although VMware has not disclosed the affected routine or lifetime transition. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a virtual machine and crosses the guest boundary to host-side code execution.

The record

CVE
CVE-2021-22040
Published
Feb 16, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Feb 16, 2022CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Aug 3, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

Is a vulnerable build present?

Affected buildAffected product and version details are unavailable.

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

Affected products and versions are unavailable in this record.

Published CVSS scores

8.4VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/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
Privilegesadmin
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
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

See the directory against your own environment.

Your stack

Check the software in your environment

Book a demo to see how Hinoki identifies affected software and validates exploitability in your environment.

Book a demo