Host-process memory disclosure via HGFS out-of-bounds read
Published Mar 4, 2025 · Updated Feb 26, 2026
An out-of-bounds read in HGFS in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows guest OS users to read memory from the vmx process. HGFS reads beyond an intended buffer boundary and exposes adjacent vmx process memory to the guest. Exploitation requires administrator or root control in a guest; the documented direct consequence is host-process memory disclosure.
Summary
What happened
An out-of-bounds read in HGFS in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows guest OS users to read memory from the vmx process. HGFS reads beyond an intended buffer boundary and exposes adjacent vmx process memory to the guest. Exploitation requires administrator or root control in a guest; the documented direct consequence is host-process memory disclosure.
The record
- CVE
- CVE-2025-22226
- Published
- Mar 4, 2025
- Updated
- Feb 26, 2026
- Vendor
- VMware
- Product
- VMware Workstation
- Classifications
- CWE-125
- Attack vector
- local
- Privileges
- admin
Timeline
How it unfolded
- Mar 4, 2025Exploitation reportedCISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog entry
- 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.
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Reported exploitation
- CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog entryknown exploited catalog
- Broadcom reported in-the-wild exploitationreported exploitation
Technologies
Your stack
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Your stack
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