CVE-2024-22252

Host code execution via XHCI object reuse

Published Mar 5, 2024 · Updated Mar 27, 2025

A use-after-free in the XHCI USB controller of VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows guest OS users to execute host VMX code. The controller accesses an object after its memory has been freed while processing guest-controlled USB activity, corrupting VMX process memory. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a virtual machine; ESXi confines execution to the VMX sandbox, while Workstation and Fusion expose the host machine.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability3.54%
Next 30 days · Sep 16, 2026
Known exploitationUnconfirmed
Based on sourced intelligence
Hinoki checkNot available
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Summary

What happened

A use-after-free in the XHCI USB controller of VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows guest OS users to execute host VMX code. The controller accesses an object after its memory has been freed while processing guest-controlled USB activity, corrupting VMX process memory. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a virtual machine; ESXi confines execution to the VMX sandbox, while Workstation and Fusion expose the host machine.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-22252
Published
Mar 5, 2024
Updated
Mar 27, 2025
Vendor
VMware
Product
VMware Workstation
Classifications
CWE-416, T1068
Attack vector
local
Privileges
admin

Timeline

How it unfolded

  1. Mar 5, 2024CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
  2. Mar 27, 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=17.0 <17.5.1
  2. Affected versionversion=17.x <17.5.1

What conditions does exploitation require?

Attack vectorlocal
Required privilegesadmin

What is affected?

VMware · VMware Workstationversion=17.0 <17.5.1; version=17.x <17.5.1
VMware · VMware Fusionversion=13.0 <13.5.1; version=13.x <13.5.1
VMware · VMware Cloud Foundationversion=4.0 <6.0; version=4.x; version=5.x
VMware · VMware ESXiversion=0 <esxi80u2sb-23305545; version=7.0 <esxi70u3p-23307199; version=7.0 <ESXi70U3p-23307199; version=8.0 <esxi80u1d-23299997; version=8.0 <ESXi80U1d-23299997; version=8.0 <ESXi80U2sb-23305545

Published CVSS scores

9.3VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H
8.4VMwareCVSS:3.1/AV:L/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.

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-416Use After Free
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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