#VU60619 Improper access control in VMware ESXi - CVE-2021-22042

Vulnerability identifier: #VU60619

Vulnerability risk: Low

CVSSv4.0: 5.8 [CVSS:4.0/AV:L/AC:L/AT:N/PR:L/UI:N/VC:H/VI:H/VA:N/SC:N/SI:N/SA:N/E:U/U:Clear]

CVE-ID: CVE-2021-22042

CWE-ID: CWE-284

Exploitation vector: Local

Exploit availability: No

Vulnerable software:
VMware ESXi
Operating systems & Components / Operating system

Vendor: VMware, Inc

Description

The vulnerability allows a local user to escalate privileges on the system.

The vulnerability exists due to VMX having access to settingsd authorization tickets. A local user with privileges within the VMX process only can access settingsd service running as a high privileged user.

Mitigation
Install updates from vendor's website.

Vulnerable software versions

VMware ESXi: before ESXi70U1e-19324898

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External links
https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2022-0004.html

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Q & A

Can this vulnerability be exploited remotely?

No. This vulnerability can be exploited locally. The attacker should have authentication credentials and successfully authenticate on the system.

Is there known malware, which exploits this vulnerability?

No. We are not aware of malware exploiting this vulnerability.