# CVE-2022-31680: Deserialization in VMware vCenter Server

> An admin on vCenter Server can exploit unsafe deserialization in PSC to execute arbitrary code on the host OS.

- **Severity:** Critical 9.1 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 7 Oct 2022
- **Updated:** 3 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-5g3f-j849-rm6p

## What is CVE-2022-31680?

CVE-2022-31680 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Vmware Vcenter Server, published on 7 Oct 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

The vCenter Server contains an unsafe deserialisation vulnerability in the PSC (Platform services controller). A malicious actor with admin access on vCenter server may exploit this issue to execute arbitrary code on the underlying operating system that hosts the vCenter Server.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2022-31680?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Vmware Vcenter Server.

## How do I fix CVE-2022-31680?

No fix has been published for CVE-2022-31680 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2022-31680 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-31680 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Vcenter Server

- [CVE-2026-59310](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-59310/): Broadcom VMware vCenter Path Traversal (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2023-34048](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34048/): VMware vCenter Server Out-of-Bounds Write (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2020-3952](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2020-3952/): VMware vCenter Server Information Disclosure (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2021-22017](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-22017/): VMware vCenter Server Improper Access Control (medium 5.3, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2015-2342](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-2342/): Code injection in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2022-31680 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2022-31680 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Vmware Vcenter Server, published on 7 Oct 2022. An attacker needs administrator access to exploit it, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2022-31680 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Vmware Vcenter Server. 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-2022-31680/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31680/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2022-31680
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2022-31680
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2022-31680

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-31680/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.