# CVE-2023-20867: VMware Tools Authentication Bypass

> A compromised ESXi host can bypass VMware Tools authentication, allowing unauthorized access to guest VM confidentiality and integrity.

- **Severity:** Low 3.9 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Yes, since 23 Jun 2023 (CISA KEV)
- **Login needed:** An administrator
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 13 Jun 2023
- **Updated:** 21 Oct 2025
- **Also known as:** ALSA-2023:3948, ALSA-2023:3949, DEBIAN-CVE-2023-20867, DLA-3531-1, GHSA-qm59-f7vh-3m2p, RHSA-2023:3944, RHSA-2023:3945, RHSA-2023:3946, RHSA-2023:3947, RHSA-2023:3948, RHSA-2023:3949, RHSA-2023:3950, RLSA-2023:3948, RLSA-2023:3949, SUSE-SU-2023:2530-1, SUSE-SU-2023:2604-1, SUSE-SU-2023:2604-2, UBUNTU-CVE-2023-20867, USN-6257-1, openSUSE-SU-2024:13022-1

## What is CVE-2023-20867?

CVE-2023-20867 is a low-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 13 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

A fully compromised ESXi host can force VMware Tools to fail to authenticate host-to-guest operations, impacting the confidentiality and integrity of the guest virtual machine.

Weakness: CWE-287 (Improper Authentication)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2023-20867?

It affects 3 products.


| Package | Ecosystem | Affected | Fixed in |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `open-vm-tools` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-salt-minion` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-sdmp` | AlmaLinux:8 | All versions | 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma |
| `open-vm-tools` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-salt-minion` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-sdmp` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma |
| `open-vm-tools-test` | AlmaLinux:9 | All versions | 12.1.5-1.el9_2.1.alma |
| `open-vm-tools` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-test` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::client | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-test` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::computenode | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-test` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::server | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-devel` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools-test` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:7::workstation | All versions | 0:11.0.5-3.el7_9.6 |
| `open-vm-tools` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-salt-minion` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-sdmp` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-sdmp-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools-test-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:8::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-2.el8_8 |
| `open-vm-tools` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 |
| `open-vm-tools-debuginfo` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 |
| `open-vm-tools-debugsource` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 |
| `open-vm-tools-desktop` | Red Hat:enterprise_linux:9::appstream | All versions | 0:12.1.5-1.el9_2.1 |

Products: Debian Debian Linux, Fedoraproject Fedora, Vmware Tools.

## How do I fix CVE-2023-20867?

Apply the vendor's patch. US federal agencies must fix it by 14 Jul 2023.

## Is CVE-2023-20867 being exploited?

Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-20867 in the wild since at least 23 Jun 2023.

## Other vulnerabilities in Debian Debian Linux

- [CVE-2015-3306](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2015-3306/): ProFTPD Improper Access Control (critical 10.0, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-49113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-49113/): RoundCube Webmail Deserialization of Untrusted Data (critical 9.9, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2026-24061](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-24061/): GNU InetUtils Argument Injection (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2025-39682](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2025-39682/): Linux Kernel Improper Check for Unusual or Exceptional Conditions (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)
- [CVE-2024-9680](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-9680/): Mozilla Firefox Use-After-Free (critical 9.8, exploited in the wild)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2023-20867 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2023-20867 is a low-severity authentication bypass vulnerability in Debian Debian Linux, published on 13 Jun 2023. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: Yes. Attackers have exploited CVE-2023-20867 in the wild since at least 23 Jun 2023.

Affected product: Debian Debian Linux. 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-2023-20867/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20867/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2023-20867
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2023-20867
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2023-20867

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2023-20867/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.