# CVE-2018-6969: Information disclosure in VMware Tools

> Out-of-bounds read in VMware Tools HGFS allows attackers to disclose information or escalate privileges on guest VMs when file sharing is enabled.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **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:** No
- **Published:** 13 Jul 2018
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-qc3q-9h28-r994

## What is CVE-2018-6969?

CVE-2018-6969 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware Tools, published on 13 Jul 2018. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware Tools (10.x and prior before 10.3.0) contains an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in HGFS. Successful exploitation of this issue may lead to information disclosure or may allow attackers to escalate their privileges on the guest VMs. In order to be able to exploit this issue, file sharing must be enabled.

Weakness: CWE-125 (Out-of-bounds Read)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2018-6969?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Tools.

## How do I fix CVE-2018-6969?

No fix has been published for CVE-2018-6969 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2018-6969 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2018-6969 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware Tools

- [CVE-2023-34057](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34057/): Privilege escalation in VMware Tools (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-7079](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7079/): Null dereference in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2016-7080](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-7080/): Null dereference in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2022-22977](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22977/): XML external entity in VMware Tools for Windows (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2019-5522](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5522/): Information disclosure in VMware Tools for Windows (high 7.1)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2018-6969 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2018-6969 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware Tools, published on 13 Jul 2018. 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-2018-6969 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VMware Tools. 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-2018-6969/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6969/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2018-6969
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2018-6969
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2018-6969

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-6969/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.