CVE-2023-34039Public exploitNetwork attack vector

Root shell access via reused SSH private keys

Published Aug 29, 2023 · Updated Feb 13, 2025

Authentication bypass in VMware Aria Operations for Networks 6.0 through 6.10 allows remote attackers to access its CLI over SSH. Platform and collector appliances reuse embedded private keys for the support and ubuntu accounts instead of generating unique SSH credentials. Network reachability to SSH is sufficient, and the published exploit demonstrates escalation from the support shell to a root shell.

CVSS severity9.8
Critical
EPSS probability67.18%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

Authentication bypass in VMware Aria Operations for Networks 6.0 through 6.10 allows remote attackers to access its CLI over SSH. Platform and collector appliances reuse embedded private keys for the support and ubuntu accounts instead of generating unique SSH credentials. Network reachability to SSH is sufficient, and the published exploit demonstrates escalation from the support shell to a root shell.

The record

CVE
CVE-2023-34039
Published
Aug 29, 2023
Updated
Feb 13, 2025
Vendor
VMware
Product
VCF Operations for Networks
Classifications
CWE-327, T1078
Attack vector
network
Privileges
unauthenticated

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Aug 29, 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=Aria Operations for Networks 6.x

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectornetwork
Required privilegesunauthenticated

What is affected?

VMware · VCF Operations for Networksversion=Aria Operations for Networks 6.x

Published CVSS scores

9.8VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:N/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.

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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 exploitPublished

Weakness, pattern, technique

CWE-327Use of a Broken or Risky Cryptographic Algorithm
T1078Valid Accounts

Public exploit references

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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