# CVE-2022-22948: VMware vCenter Server Incorrect Default File Permissions Vulnerability

> A malicious actor with non-administrative access can exploit improper file permissions to gain access to sensitive information in vCenter Server.

- **Severity:** Medium 6.5 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 17 Jul 2024 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 29 Mar 2022
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-mgm9-ffv2-wpc6

## What is CVE-2022-22948?

CVE-2022-22948 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Vmware Cloud Foundation, published on 29 Mar 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The vCenter Server contains an information disclosure vulnerability due to improper permission of files. A malicious actor with non-administrative access to the vCenter Server may exploit this issue to gain access to sensitive information.

Weakness: CWE-276 (Incorrect Default Permissions)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-22948?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Vmware Cloud Foundation, Vmware Vcenter Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-22948?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-22948 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available. US federal agencies must fix it by 7 Aug 2024.

## Is CVE-2022-22948 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2022-22948 in the wild since at least 17 Jul 2024.

Public exploit code:

- Scanner for CVE-2022-22948 an Information Disclosure in VMWare vCenter (github_poc): https://github.com/PenteraIO/CVE-2022-22948
- VMware vCenter Secrets Dump (metasploit)

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Cloud Foundation

- [CVE-2024-38812](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38812/): VMware vCenter Server Heap-Based Buffer Overflow (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-37079](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-37079/): Broadcom VMware vCenter Server Out-of-bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2022-22954](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22954/): VMware Workspace ONE Access and Identity Manager Server-Side Template Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-22005](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22005/): VMware vCenter Server File Upload (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-21985](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-21985/): VMware vCenter Server Improper Input Validation (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-22948 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-22948 is a medium-severity vulnerability in Vmware Cloud Foundation, published on 29 Mar 2022. Any signed-in user can exploit it over the network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2022-22948 in the wild since at least 17 Jul 2024.

Affected product: Vmware Cloud Foundation. 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-2022-22948/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22948/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-22948
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22948
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-22948

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22948/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.