# VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass · pwn.watch

> VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with sufficient Active Directory (AD) permissions can gain full access to an ESXi host that was previously configured to use AD for user management by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD. Added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2024-07-30. CISA lists known use in ransomware campaigns.

Page: https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085 · generated 2026-10-23T01:02:50.524Z

## Status
- Severity: medium · status: closed · patch: patched
- Product: VMware ESXi
- Started: 2024-06-25 · closed: 2024-07-30
- CVEs: CVE-2024-37085
- Affected: See vendor advisory (versions are not listed in the KEV record)
- Fixed in: See vendor advisory linked in sources

## Follow this incident
- RSS (one item per update): https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085/feed.xml
- JSON Feed: https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085/feed.json
- Full data (timeline, sources, posts, agentBrief): https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085.json
- This file: https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085/llms.txt

## Updates (newest first)
- 2024-07-30: CISA added CVE-2024-37085 to the KEV catalog (federal deadline 2024-08-20) (https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog)
- 2024-06-25: CVE-2024-37085 published (https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37085)

## Fix brief
# Security brief: VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass

Source: https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085 · status: closed (closed Jul 30, 2024) · severity: medium · updated Jul 30, 2024

## Patch status
**PATCHED: fixed releases exist. Upgrade to a fixed version.**

## What it is
VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with sufficient Active Directory (AD) permissions can gain full access to an ESXi host that was previously configured to use AD for user management by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD. Added to the CISA KEV catalog on 2024-07-30. CISA lists known use in ransomware campaigns.

Severity detail: CVSS 6.8 (v3.1, CNA), actively exploited (CISA KEV); known ransomware use

- Product: VMware ESXi
- CVE / advisory ids: CVE-2024-37085

## Affected versions
- See vendor advisory (versions are not listed in the KEV record)

## Check whether you're affected
No generic command applies (the product is a hosted service, appliance or desktop app). Check the installed version in its admin UI / About screen and compare with the versions above.

## Fix
Upgrade to one of these fixed versions (or later on the same branch):
- See vendor advisory linked in sources

After upgrading, re-run the checks above and redeploy/restart the affected services.

## Latest updates
- Jul 30, 2024: CISA added CVE-2024-37085 to the KEV catalog (federal deadline 2024-08-20)
- Jun 25, 2024: CVE-2024-37085 published

## Advisories
- [VMware advisory: CVE-2024-37085](https://support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/SecurityAdvisories/0/24505) (VMware)
- [NVD: CVE-2024-37085](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37085) (NVD)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities Catalog](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog) (CISA)

## Write-ups & news
- [Ransomware operators exploit ESXi hypervisor vulnerability for mass encryption](https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/security/blog/2024/07/29/ransomware-operators-exploit-esxi-hypervisor-vulnerability-for-mass-encryption/)

## Caveats
Derived from the CISA KEV JSON feed (catalogVersion 2026.10.21); CVSS from the CVE record (cveawg.mitre.org). startedAt is the CVE publication date when it fell in 2024 before the KEV listing, else the KEV dateAdded; exploitation may have begun earlier. closedAt is the KEV listing date (a fix or mitigation was available then unless noted).

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Machine-readable: https://pwn.watch/i/vmware-esxi-cve-2024-37085.json · all incidents: https://pwn.watch/incidents.json. Verify against the vendor advisory before changing production systems.