Historical catalog analysis: CISA added this entry on November 20, 2024. The entry reflects catalog information retrieved on August 31, 2026, not a snapshot archived on the inclusion date. Check current vendor guidance before acting.
What the vulnerability is
CVE-2024-38813 is a privilege escalation vulnerability affecting VMware vCenter Server. The flaw stems from an improper check for dropped privileges (classified under CWE-250 and CWE-273). If exploited, an attacker with network access to the vCenter Server could send a specially crafted packet to escalate their privileges to the root level.
Exposure and applicability
This vulnerability applies to organizations deploying VMware vCenter Server. The primary exposure path is network-based; any entity capable of sending packets to the vCenter Server instance is within the potential attack surface. Because this allows for root-level access, the impact involves a complete compromise of the management server’s integrity and confidentiality.
Remediation priorities
Based on our analysis, vulnerability management teams should prioritize the following actions:
- Inventory and Identification: Immediately identify all active vCenter Server instances across the environment to determine the total footprint of exposure.
- Vendor Mitigation Deployment: Apply the mitigations provided by the vendor. For federal agencies, CISA has established a remediation deadline of December 11, 2024.
- Network Segmentation: As a compensating control to reduce the likelihood of initial access, restrict network access to the vCenter Server to only authorized administrative hosts. This limits the number of sources capable of sending the crafted packets required for exploitation.
- Decommissioning: In scenarios where vendor mitigations cannot be applied or are unavailable, the source indicates that discontinuing use of the product is a necessary alternative to eliminate the risk.
How to validate remediation
Verification must go beyond a simple version check. To ensure exposure has been reduced, defenders should:
* Confirm Mitigation Application: Verify through vendor-provided tools or configuration audits that the specific security updates or mitigations have been successfully applied to the system.
* Validate Access Controls: Use network scanning or firewall audit logs to confirm that only authorized IP addresses can reach the vCenter Server management interface, thereby validating the effectiveness of segmentation controls.
Limits and open questions
While the mechanism for privilege escalation is identified as an improper check for dropped privileges, the source does not provide specific details on the exact packet structure required for exploitation. Additionally, it remains unknown whether this vulnerability has been utilized by known ransomware campaigns. There is a residual risk that existing compromised accounts or internal network pivots could bypass perimeter defenses to reach the vCenter Server; therefore, mitigation of the software flaw itself is the only way to fully address the root cause.
Source and editorial note
CVE-2024-38813: VMware vCenter Server Privilege Escalation Vulnerability · Source date: November 20, 2024 · Retrieved August 31, 2026.
Material facts are tied to the cited primary source. Recommendations are independent defensive analysis unless attributed to the source. Confirm consequential decisions against current authoritative guidance.
Archive date: November 23, 2024. The displayed post date is assigned three days after the source date to organize this retrospective archive; it does not mean this site published the analysis then. First published by this site: November 03, 2026 at 00:29 UTC.
Request a Vulnerability Assessment
Turn security intelligence into action.
Discuss your exposure, priorities, and the evidence needed to validate the outcome.
Request a security assessment ↗