VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability
n/a — VMware ESXi
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 https://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2012/09/joining-vsphere-hosts-to-active-directory.html by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD.
6.8
26.8%
Vector breakdown
- Attack vector
- Network
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Privileges required
- High
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
- Published
- Jun 25, 2024
- Modified
- Oct 21, 2025
- Added to KEV
- Jul 30, 2024
- Federal patch due
- Aug 20, 2024
CISA required action
Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
Weakness classification
Proof-of-concept & exploitation references
Weaponization
Public repositories whose name or description references CVE-2024-37085, found via a live GitHub search at request time. These are community-sourced signals, not a verified working exploit — cross-check each one before relying on it, and treat higher star counts and recent activity as (weak) corroboration, not proof.
No public GitHub repositories referencing CVE-2024-37085 were found at last check. Absence here is not proof no exploit exists — see the references below for vendor advisories and write-ups.
References
Frequently asked questions
What is CVE-2024-37085?
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 https://blogs.vmware.com/vsphere/2012/09/joining-vsphere-hosts-to-active-directory.html by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD.
How severe is CVE-2024-37085?
CVE-2024-37085 has a CVSS base score of 6.8 out of 10 (CVSS 3.1).
Is CVE-2024-37085 actively exploited in the wild?
Yes. CVE-2024-37085 is listed in the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, added Jul 30, 2024, meaning CISA has confirmed evidence of active exploitation. It is also flagged as used in ransomware campaigns.
What is the EPSS score for CVE-2024-37085?
26.8% - meaning FIRST.org's EPSS model estimates a 26.8% probability this vulnerability will be exploited in the wild within 30 days (98% percentile among all scored CVEs).
What type of vulnerability is CVE-2024-37085?
CVE-2024-37085 is classified under CWE-305 (CWE-305 Authentication Bypass by Primary Weakness).
Cross-checked against
Impactr finds and proves whether CVE-2024-37085 — or flaws like it — are actually reachable in your own web apps and APIs, with a reproducible exploit as evidence.