# CVE-2016-5330: Privilege escalation in n/a

> Local attackers can gain privileges by placing a malicious DLL in the working directory, affecting VMware Tools users.

- **Severity:** High 7.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Aug 2016
- **Updated:** 6 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-r9pr-hcq4-m3jp

## What is CVE-2016-5330?

CVE-2016-5330 is a high-severity vulnerability in Vmware Esxi, published on 8 Aug 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the HGFS (aka Shared Folders) feature in VMware Tools 10.0.5 in VMware ESXi 5.0 through 6.0, VMware Workstation Pro 12.1.x before 12.1.1, VMware Workstation Player 12.1.x before 12.1.1, and VMware Fusion 8.1.x before 8.1.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory.

Weakness: CWE-426 (Untrusted Search Path)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2016-5330?

It affects 5 products.


Products: Vmware Esxi, Vmware Fusion, Vmware Tools, Vmware Workstation Player, Vmware Workstation Pro.

## How do I fix CVE-2016-5330?

No fix has been published for CVE-2016-5330 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2016-5330 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-5330 exists.

Public exploit code:

- DLL Side Loading Vulnerability in VMware Host Guest Client Redirector (metasploit)
- VMware Host Guest Client Redirector - DLL Side Loading (Metasploit) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Esxi

- [CVE-2026-41709](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-41709/): Broadcom VMWare ESX Insufficient Logging (low 2.7, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2019-5521](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5521/): Information disclosure in VMware ESXi (critical 9.6)
- [CVE-2024-22252](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-22252/): Use-after-free vulnerability (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2020-3955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3955/): Cross-site scripting in ESXi (critical 9.3)
- [CVE-2010-4573](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2010-4573/): Auth bypass in n/a (critical 9.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2016-5330 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2016-5330 is a high-severity vulnerability in Vmware Esxi, published on 8 Aug 2016. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2016-5330 exists.

Affected product: Vmware Esxi. 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-2016-5330/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5330/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2016-5330
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2016-5330
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2016-5330

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5330/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.