CASCACascade Atlas

Evidence dossier

CVE-2023-20867

VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

57.1–72.1Priority evidence range
As known Jul 19, 2026, 5:00 AM UTCgen-56ccdaf9

Normalized restatement

A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine.

State
PUBLISHED
Published
Jun 13, 2023
Updated
Oct 21, 2025
Evidence coverage
85%
CISA KEVCatalog member

Apply updates per vendor instructions.

FIRST EPSS13.64%

2026-07-18 · v2026.06.15 · percentile 96.1%

Source stateNo scored conflict

Distinct CVSS assessments remain side by side; none are averaged.

Source comparison

Who said what

CISA-ADPindependent enrichment
container

CISA ADP Vulnrichment

CVEderivative copy
container

CVE Program Container

vmwareoriginal assertion
container

VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

CISA KEVoriginal assertion
observed_exploitation

VMware Tools Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

FIRST EPSSoriginal assertion
model_probability

Probability 0.136380000000; percentile 0.960550000000

Applicability

Cited product scope

Trace impact →
VMwareVMware Tools
[{"status": "unaffected", "version": "12.2.5"}]unknown
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:tools:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*; start including 10.3.0; end excluding 12.2.5supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:10.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:11.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:o:debian:debian_linux:12.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:37:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:38:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported
Unknown vendorUnknown product
cpe:2.3:o:fedoraproject:fedora:39:*:*:*:*:*:*:*supported

Assessments

CVSS by origin

3.9
nvd@nist.govCVSS 3.1 · role PrimaryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
3.9
security@vmware.comCVSS 3.1 · role SecondaryCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N
3.9
vmwareCVSS 3.1 · role unknownCVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N

Limitations and unknowns

  • KEV membership is authoritative for the catalog, not proof of exposure in any environment.
  • EPSS is a dated model probability and not an individual-environment prediction.
  • Affected or fixed status applies only to the exact cited product and version scope; unresolved scope remains unknown.
  • NVD-carried upstream facts remain derivative and are not independent corroboration.
  • Only NVD metrics validated under the generation-bound calculator are Public Priority eligible; direct CVE record metrics remain display-only.
  • NVD CVSS source eligibility is closed: NVD-authored, exact record-source, or registered same-CVE container origin; unmapped sources remain display-only.
  • Factor D is unknown in Public Core because no accepted canonical mapping-obligation ledger is present.
  • Core replay supports the active and immediately prior generation; retrospective valid-at replay is deferred.