Detections
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VMware Tools 11.x < 12.5.4 / 13.x < 13.0.5 Multiple Vulnerabilities (VMSA-2025-0015)

high Nessus Plugin ID 266420

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Synopsis

The virtualization tool suite installed on the remote host is affected by multiple vulnerabilities.

Description

The version of VMware Tools installed on the remote host is 11.x or 12.x prior to 12.5.4, or 13.x prior to 13.0.5.
It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities as disclosed in the VMSA-2025-0015 advisory:

 - VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability. A malicious local actor with non-administrative privileges having access to a VM with VMware Tools installed and managed by Aria Operations with SDMP enabled may exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges to root on the same VM. (CVE-2025-41244)

 - VMware Tools for Windows contains an improper authorisation vulnerability due to the way it handles user access controls. A malicious actor with non-administrative privileges on a guest VM, who is already authenticated through vCenter or ESX may exploit this issue to access other guest VMs. Successful exploitation requires knowledge of credentials of the targeted VMs and vCenter or ESX. (CVE-2025-41246)

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

Solution

Upgrade to VMware Tools version 12.5.4, 13.0.5 or later.

See Also

http://www.nessus.org/u?c5f718a1

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 266420

File Name: vmware_tools_VMSA-2025-0015.nasl

Version: 1.2

Type: local

Agent: windows, macosx, unix

Family: Misc.

Published: 10/2/2025

Updated: 10/30/2025

Configuration: Enable thorough checks (optional)

Supported Sensors: Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Critical

Score: 9.2

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.8

Temporal Score: 5.6

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:S/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS Score Source: CVE-2025-41244

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 7.2

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:F/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/a:vmware:tools

Required KB Items: installed_sw/VMware Tools

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 9/29/2025

Vulnerability Publication Date: 9/29/2025

CISA Known Exploited Vulnerability Due Dates: 11/20/2025

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2025-41244, CVE-2025-41246

IAVA: 2025-A-0712

VMSA: 2025-0015