# CVE-2011-2146: Information disclosure in n/a

> Guest OS users can determine the existence of host OS files and directories via the VMware Host Guest File System.

- **Severity:** Low 2.1 (`AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 6 Jun 2011
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** DEBIAN-CVE-2011-2146, GHSA-522g-8fxg-x6c3

## What is CVE-2011-2146?

CVE-2011-2146 is a low-severity vulnerability in Vmware Esx, published on 6 Jun 2011. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

mount.vmhgfs in the VMware Host Guest File System (HGFS) in VMware Workstation 7.1.x before 7.1.4, VMware Player 3.1.x before 3.1.4, VMware Fusion 3.1.x before 3.1.3, VMware ESXi 3.5 through 4.1, and VMware ESX 3.0.3 through 4.1 allows guest OS users to determine the existence of host OS files and directories via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-200 (Exposure of Sensitive Information to an Unauthorized Actor)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2011-2146?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Vmware Esx, Vmware Esxi, Vmware Fusion, Vmware Player, Vmware Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2011-2146?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2011-2146 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-2146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Esx

- [CVE-2013-1405](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1405/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-1516](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1516/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2013-3658](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-3658/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.4)
- [CVE-2012-3288](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-3288/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2008-4281](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-4281/): Path traversal in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2011-2146 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2011-2146 is a low-severity vulnerability in Vmware Esx, published on 6 Jun 2011. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2011-2146 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Esx. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2146/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2146/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2011-2146
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2011-2146
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2011-2146

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2011-2146/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.