---
title: "CVE-2024-37085: VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability"
url: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2024-37085/
description: "CVE-2024-37085 (VMware ESXi): Exploited in the wild (CISA KEV). VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with…"
type: vulnerability-record
section: "Security Digest"
date_published: 2024-06-25
date_modified: 2025-10-21
publisher: erroneo.us
author: erroneo.us Security Desk
cve: "CVE-2024-37085"
kev: true
cvss: 6.8
epss: 0.2677
license: All rights reserved. Quote with attribution and a link.
---

# CVE-2024-37085: VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

**Signal:** Exploited: patch now if you run it. CISA has confirmed exploitation in the wild. (Computed from CISA KEV, EPSS and CVSS; not an editorial verdict.)

## Should you act?

- Yes, if you run VMware ESXi. CISA added this CVE to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2024-07-30, which means there is reliable evidence of exploitation in the wild. US federal agencies must remediate by 2024-08-20 ; treat that as the outer limit, not the target. CISA also lists it as known to be used in ransomware campaigns .
- EPSS 26.8% , percentile 98: FIRST’s model estimates a 26.8% chance of exploitation activity in the next 30 days, higher than 98% of all scored CVEs (very high). EPSS is a probability, not a verdict.
- Needs an account (high (admin)). Exposure depends on who can log in.

## 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 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.

## Affected products (CVE record)

- n/a VMware ESXi: 8.0 < ESXi80U3-24022510, 7.0
- n/a VMware Cloud Foundation: 5.x, 4.x

## Severity

- vmware CVSS 3.1: 6.8 `CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`

## Exploitation

- CISA KEV: added 2024-07-30; federal due date 2024-08-20. Known ransomware use: Known.
- CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
- CISA SSVC assessment: exploitation active , automatable no , technical impact total .
- FIRST EPSS (model of 2026-10-21): 26.77% probability of exploitation activity in the next 30 days; percentile 98.

## Sources

- [Listed in CISA KEV notes (support.broadcom.com)](https://support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/SecurityAdvisories/0/24505)
- [CVE.org record CVE-2024-37085](https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-37085)
- [NVD entry CVE-2024-37085](https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-37085)
- [CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog entry](https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?field_cve=CVE-2024-37085)

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Source page: https://erroneo.us/security/cve/CVE-2024-37085/ · Security Digest: https://erroneo.us/security/ · More: https://erroneo.us/llms.txt