CVE-2022-22943

SYSTEM code execution via uncontrolled search path

Published Mar 3, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Uncontrolled search path in VMware Tools for Windows 10.x.y and 11.x.y allows local users to execute code with SYSTEM privileges. VMware has not disclosed the affected executable, search sequence, or the untrusted path element resolved before a trusted binary. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges in a Windows guest and yields code execution as SYSTEM within that guest.

CVSS severity5.6
Medium
EPSS probability1.26%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Uncontrolled search path in VMware Tools for Windows 10.x.y and 11.x.y allows local users to execute code with SYSTEM privileges. VMware has not disclosed the affected executable, search sequence, or the untrusted path element resolved before a trusted binary. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges in a Windows guest and yields code execution as SYSTEM within that guest.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-22943
Published
Mar 3, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware Tools
Classifications
CWE-427, T1574.008
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 3, 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

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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=VMware Tools for Windows (11.x.y and 10.x.y prior to 12.0.0)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

VMware · VMware Toolsversion=VMware Tools for Windows (11.x.y and 10.x.y prior to 12.0.0)

Published CVSS scores

7.2NIST NVDAV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C
5.6VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:H/A:L
6.7NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/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-427Uncontrolled Search Path Element
T1574.008Path Interception by Search Order Hijacking

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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