# CVE-2021-22038: Race condition in VMware InstallBuilder

> An attacker can replace a predictable temporary uninstaller binary to gain Administrator privileges during software removal on Windows.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/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:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Oct 2021
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5hc4-w525-fjv3

## What is CVE-2021-22038?

CVE-2021-22038 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware InstallBuilder, published on 29 Oct 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

On Windows, the uninstaller binary copies itself to a fixed temporary location, which is then executed (the originally called uninstaller exits, so it does not block the installation directory). This temporary location is not randomized and does not restrict access to Administrators only so a potential attacker could plant a binary to replace the copied binary right before it gets called, thus gaining Administrator privileges (if the original uninstaller was executed as Administrator). The vulnerability only affects Windows installers.

Weakness: CWE-330 (Use of Insufficiently Random Values)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2021-22038?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Installbuilder.

## How do I fix CVE-2021-22038?

No fix has been published for CVE-2021-22038 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2021-22038 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22038 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware InstallBuilder

- [CVE-2021-22037](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22037/): Path traversal in VMware InstallBuilder (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2020-3946](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3946/): Denial of service in InstallBuilder (high 7.5)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2021-22038 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2021-22038 is a high-severity vulnerability in VMware InstallBuilder, published on 29 Oct 2021. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2021-22038 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: VMware InstallBuilder. 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-2021-22038/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22038/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2021-22038
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2021-22038
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2021-22038

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22038/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.