CVE-2022-31681

Host denial of service via null-pointer dereference

Published Oct 7, 2022 · Updated Aug 3, 2024

Null-pointer dereference in VMware ESXi 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0 allows attackers to interrupt the host through the VMX process. VMware has not published the affected code path, the input that produces the null pointer, or the invalid dereference operation. The condition is reachable only with privileges within the VMX process, and the reported consequence is limited to host denial of service.

CVSS severity6.5
Medium
EPSS probability0.21%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Null-pointer dereference in VMware ESXi 6.5, 6.7, and 7.0 allows attackers to interrupt the host through the VMX process. VMware has not published the affected code path, the input that produces the null pointer, or the invalid dereference operation. The condition is reachable only with privileges within the VMX process, and the reported consequence is limited to host denial of service.

The record

CVE
CVE-2022-31681
Published
Oct 7, 2022
Updated
Aug 3, 2024
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware ESXi
Classifications
CWE-476, T1499.004
Attack vector
local
Privileges
authenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Oct 7, 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 ESXi (7.0 prior to ESXi70U3sf-20036586, 6.7 prior to ESXi670-202210101-SG & 6.5 prior to ESXi650-202210101-SG)

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · VMware ESXiversion=VMware ESXi (7.0 prior to ESXi70U3sf-20036586, 6.7 prior to ESXi670-202210101-SG & 6.5 prior to ESXi650-202210101-SG)

Published CVSS scores

6.5NIST National Vulnerability DatabaseCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H
3.8VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:L

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-476NULL Pointer Dereference
T1499.004Application or System Exploitation

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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