CVE-2023-20869

Host code execution via unchecked UHCI length

Published Apr 25, 2023 · Updated Feb 4, 2025

Stack-based buffer overflow in VMware Workstation 17.x and Fusion 13.x allows guest OS users to execute code in the host VMX process. The UHCI component copies user-supplied data into a fixed-length stack buffer without first validating its length. Administrative code execution inside a guest and enabled host Bluetooth sharing are required, and exploitation crosses into the host hypervisor context.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability2.02%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Stack-based buffer overflow in VMware Workstation 17.x and Fusion 13.x allows guest OS users to execute code in the host VMX process. The UHCI component copies user-supplied data into a fixed-length stack buffer without first validating its length. Administrative code execution inside a guest and enabled host Bluetooth sharing are required, and exploitation crosses into the host hypervisor context.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20869
Published
Apr 25, 2023
Updated
Feb 4, 2025
Vendor
Unknown vendor
Product
Unknown product
Classifications
CWE-787, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Apr 25, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 4, 2025Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

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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

8.2NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
9.3VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.2CISA-ADPCVSS: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.

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-787Out-of-bounds Write
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

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Your stack

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