CVE-2023-20893Network attack vector

Remote code execution via dangling DCERPC association reference

Published Jun 22, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Use-after-free in VMware vCenter Server 7.0 and 8.0 allows remote attackers to execute code through crafted DCERPC packets. Association cleanup frees an object without removing its group-list reference; later group-table expansion updates a pointer through that dangling reference. Network access to the DCERPC services and attacker-controlled allocation timing are required; Cloud Foundation is affected through its embedded vCenter Server.

CVSS severity8.1
High
EPSS probability1.25%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Use-after-free in VMware vCenter Server 7.0 and 8.0 allows remote attackers to execute code through crafted DCERPC packets. Association cleanup frees an object without removing its group-list reference; later group-table expansion updates a pointer through that dangling reference. Network access to the DCERPC services and attacker-controlled allocation timing are required; Cloud Foundation is affected through its embedded vCenter Server.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-20893
Published
Jun 22, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware vCenter Server
Classifications
CWE-416, T1210
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Jun 22, 2023CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Feb 13, 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?

Compare these published version ranges with your installed build and any vendor patches.

  1. Affected versionversion=7.0 <7.0 u3m
  2. Affected versionversion=8.0 <8.0 U1b

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · VMware vCenter Serverversion=7.0 <7.0 u3m; version=8.0 <8.0 U1b
VMware · VMware Cloud Foundationversion=4.x <7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1b; version=5.x <7.0 U3m, 8.0 U1b

Published CVSS scores

9.8NIST NVDCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.1VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
7.5Cisco TalosCVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:L/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)
Vectornetwork
Privilegesunauthenticated
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Public exploitUnconfirmed

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-416Use After Free
T1210Exploitation of Remote Services

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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