# CVE-2019-5521: Information disclosure in VMware ESXi

> Out-of-bounds read in pixel shader allows information disclosure or host denial of service when 3D graphics are enabled.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.6 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 20 Sep 2019
- **Updated:** 4 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cphr-3j6j-hwcv

## What is CVE-2019-5521?

CVE-2019-5521 is a critical vulnerability in Vmware Esxi, published on 20 Sep 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware ESXi (6.7 before ESXi670-201904101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201903001), Workstation (15.x before 15.0.3 and 14.x before 14.1.6) and Fusion (11.x before 11.0.3 and 10.x before 10.1.6) contain an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the pixel shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may lead to information disclosure or may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on the host. Exploitation of this issue require an attacker to have access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled. It is not enabled by default on ESXi and is enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion.

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

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-5521?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Vmware Esxi, Vmware Fusion, Vmware Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-5521?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-5521 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-5521 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-5521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## 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-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)
- [CVE-2019-5527](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5527/): Use after free in ESXi, Workstation, Fusion, VMRC and Horizon Client (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-5521 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-5521 is a critical vulnerability in Vmware Esxi, published on 20 Sep 2019. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-5521 in the wild and no public exploit code.

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-2019-5521/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5521/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-5521
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-5521
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-5521

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-5521/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.