# CVE-2013-1405: Auth bypass in n/a

> Remote attackers can execute arbitrary code or cause denial of service via improper management authentication protocol implementation in VMware vCenter and ESXi.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 15 Feb 2013
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-v887-6g7g-j8hv

## What is CVE-2013-1405?

CVE-2013-1405 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Vmware Esx, published on 15 Feb 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware vCenter Server 4.0 before Update 4b and 4.1 before Update 3a, VMware VirtualCenter 2.5, VMware vSphere Client 4.0 before Update 4b and 4.1 before Update 3a, VMware VI-Client 2.5, VMware ESXi 3.5 through 4.1, and VMware ESX 3.5 through 4.1 do not properly implement the management authentication protocol, which allow remote servers to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (memory corruption) via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2013-1405?

It affects 6 products.


Products: Vmware Esx, Vmware Esxi, Vmware Vcenter Server, Vmware Vi-Client, Vmware Virtualcenter, Vmware Vsphere Client.

## How do I fix CVE-2013-1405?

No fix has been published for CVE-2013-1405 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2013-1405 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2013-1405 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Esx

- [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)
- [CVE-2012-1517](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-1517/): Memory corruption in n/a (critical 9.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2013-1405 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2013-1405 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in Vmware Esx, published on 15 Feb 2013. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2013-1405 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-2013-1405/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1405/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2013-1405
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2013-1405
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2013-1405

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-1405/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.