Guest-to-host code execution via VMCI race
Published Mar 4, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026
A TOCTOU flaw in VMware ESXi and Workstation allows local users with VM administrator access to execute code in the host VMX process. The VMCI path checks and later uses shared state across a race window, producing an out-of-bounds heap write; Broadcom has not identified the raced object. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a guest VM and yields code execution only in that VM's host-side VMX process.
Summary
What happened
A TOCTOU flaw in VMware ESXi and Workstation allows local users with VM administrator access to execute code in the host VMX process. The VMCI path checks and later uses shared state across a race window, producing an out-of-bounds heap write; Broadcom has not identified the raced object. Exploitation requires local administrative privileges inside a guest VM and yields code execution only in that VM's host-side VMX process.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-22224
- Published
- Mar 4, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 26, 2026
- Vendor
- VMware
- Product
- VMware Workstation
- Classifications
- CWE-367, T1611
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 4, 2025Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listing
- Mar 4, 2025CVE publishedPublication date reported by the CVE source.
- Feb 26, 2026Record 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.
- Affected versionversion=17.x <17.6.3
What conditions does exploitation require?
What is affected?
Published CVSS scores
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.
Weakness, pattern, technique
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.
Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities listingknown exploited catalog
- Broadcom-reported in-the-wild exploitationreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
See the directory against your own environment.
Your stack
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