# CVE-2016-2077: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local users can gain host OS privileges due to incorrect executable file access in VMware Workstation and Player on Windows.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 18 May 2016
- **Updated:** 5 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-9c56-6w4h-cgc4

## What is CVE-2016-2077?

CVE-2016-2077 is a critical vulnerability in Vmware Player, published on 18 May 2016. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware Workstation 11.x before 11.1.3 and VMware Player 7.x before 7.1.3 on Windows incorrectly access an executable file, which allows host OS users to gain host OS privileges via unspecified vectors.

Weakness: CWE-264

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-2077?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Vmware Player, Vmware Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-2077?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-2077 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-2077 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2016-2077 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Player

- [CVE-2007-5617](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5617/): Denial of service in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2012-5458](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-5458/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 8.3)
- [CVE-2012-5459](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2012-5459/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.9)
- [CVE-2013-5972](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2013-5972/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2007-5618](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2007-5618/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.2)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-2077 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-2077 is a critical vulnerability in Vmware Player, published on 18 May 2016. 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-2016-2077 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Player. 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-2016-2077/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2077/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-2077
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-2077
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-2077

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-2077/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.