# CVE-2022-22956: Auth bypass in VMware Workspace ONE Access

> Attackers can bypass authentication in VMware Workspace ONE Access to execute arbitrary operations due to exposed OAuth2 endpoints.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.8 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 13 Apr 2022
- **Updated:** 13 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-54hw-pp59-j3rc

## What is CVE-2022-22956?

CVE-2022-22956 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in VMware Workspace ONE Access, published on 13 Apr 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware Workspace ONE Access has two authentication bypass vulnerabilities (CVE-2022-22955 & CVE-2022-22956) in the OAuth2 ACS framework. A malicious actor may bypass the authentication mechanism and execute any operation due to exposed endpoints in the authentication framework.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-22956?

It affects 3 products.


Products: Vmware Identity Manager, Vmware Vrealize Automation, Vmware Workspace One Access.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-22956?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-22956 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-22956 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-22956 exists.

Public exploit code:

- VMware Workspace ONE Access VMSA-2022-0011 exploit chain (metasploit)
- VMware Workspace ONE Access - Authentication Bypass (nuclei): http/cves/2022/CVE-2022-22956.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in VMware Workspace ONE Access

- [CVE-2022-22955](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22955/): Auth bypass in VMware Workspace ONE Access (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2016-5335](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5335/): Privilege escalation in n/a (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2021-22056](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22056/): Server-side request forgery in VMware Workspace ONE Access and Identity Manager (high 7.5)
- [CVE-2022-31665](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31665/): Code injection in VMware Workspace ONE Access, Identity Manager and vRealize Automation (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2016-5334](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5334/): Information disclosure in n/a (medium 5.3)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-22956 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-22956 is a critical authentication bypass vulnerability in VMware Workspace ONE Access, published on 13 Apr 2022. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2022-22956 exists.

Affected product: VMware Workspace ONE Access. 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-2022-22956/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22956/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-22956
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-22956
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-22956

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22956/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.