CVE-2024-22253

Host code execution via UHCI use-after-free

Published Mar 5, 2024 · Updated Aug 16, 2024

Use-after-free in the UHCI USB controller in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows local users to execute code in the host VMX process. The virtual UHCI controller accesses memory after its lifetime ends while handling guest-controlled USB activity; VMware has not disclosed the responsible function or a patch diff. Exploitation requires administrative control of a virtual machine; ESXi confines execution to its VMX sandbox, while Workstation and Fusion expose the host machine.

CVSS severity9.3
Critical
EPSS probability0.65%
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 the UHCI USB controller in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows local users to execute code in the host VMX process. The virtual UHCI controller accesses memory after its lifetime ends while handling guest-controlled USB activity; VMware has not disclosed the responsible function or a patch diff. Exploitation requires administrative control of a virtual machine; ESXi confines execution to its VMX sandbox, while Workstation and Fusion expose the host machine.

The record

CVE
CVE-2024-22253
Published
Mar 5, 2024
Updated
Aug 16, 2024
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. Aug 16, 2024Record updatedLatest update available in the CVE record.

Exploitability

Present is not the same as exploitable

Compare your product and version with the public record. A matching version still requires validation against your environment.

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=7.0 <esxi70U3p-23307199; version=7.0 <ESXi70U3p-23307199; version=8.0 <esxi80U1d-23299997; version=8.0 <ESXi80U1d-23299997; version=8.0 <esxi80U2sb-23305545; 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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