# CVE-2023-20864: Deserialization in VMware Aria Operations for Logs (formerly vRealize Log Insight)

> Unauthenticated attackers can execute arbitrary code as root via deserialization in VMware Aria Operations for Logs.

- **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:** 20 Apr 2023
- **Updated:** 5 Feb 2025
- **Also known as:** GHSA-8xj6-cxx5-jf7j

## What is CVE-2023-20864?

CVE-2023-20864 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Vmware Cloud Foundation, published on 20 Apr 2023. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

VMware Aria Operations for Logs contains a deserialization vulnerability. An unauthenticated, malicious actor with network access to VMware Aria Operations for Logs may be able to execute arbitrary code as root.

Weakness: CWE-502 (Deserialization of Untrusted Data)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20864?

It affects 2 products.


Products: Vmware Aria Operations for Logs, Vmware Cloud Foundation.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20864?

No fix has been published for CVE-2023-20864 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2023-20864 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2023-20864 exists.

Public exploit code:

- VMware Aria Operations for Logs - Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution (nuclei): http/cves/2023/CVE-2023-20864.yaml

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Cloud Foundation

- [CVE-2023-34051](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34051/): Auth bypass in VMware Aria Operations for Logs (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2025-22218](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-22218/): VMware Aria Operations for Logs information disclosure vulnerability (high 8.5)
- [CVE-2023-34052](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-34052/): Deserialization in VMware Aria Operations for Logs (high 7.8)
- [CVE-2023-20865](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20865/): Command injection in VMware Aria Operations for Logs (formerly vRealize Log Insight) (high 7.2)
- [CVE-2025-22219](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-22219/): VMware Aria Operations for Logs stored cross-site scripting vulnerability (CVE-2025-22219) (medium 6.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20864 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20864 is a critical unsafe deserialization vulnerability in Vmware Cloud Foundation, published on 20 Apr 2023. 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-2023-20864 exists.

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-2023-20864/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20864/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20864
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20864
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20864

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20864/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.