Exploited vulnerability · CISA KEV

Is CVE-2025-22224 exploited? Yes: in CISA KEV since 4 Mar 2025

Gociux · VMware ESXi and Workstation · data: CISA KEV, CVE record, FIRST EPSS

Yes. CVE-2025-22224, VMware ESXi and Workstation TOCTOU Race Condition Vulnerability, is being exploited in the wild. CISA added it to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 4 Mar 2025, the day it was published. It affects VMware ESXi and Workstation. If you run it, CISA's required action is: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

What it is

VMware ESXi and Workstation contain a time-of-check time-of-use (TOCTOU) race condition vulnerability that leads to an out-of-bounds write. Successful exploitation enables an attacker with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine to execute code as the virtual machine's VMX process running on the host.

What to do

1. Check whether you run it. Look for ESXi and Workstation in your asset inventory, including appliances and cloud images. Stack check lists every exploited VMware CVE at once.
2. Apply the fix. Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.
3. If you can't patch today, take the affected service off the internet or restrict who can reach it, and check its logs for signs of compromise since 4 Mar 2025.
4. Get told next time. Email alerts when CISA adds a CVE for VMware.

References

• support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/Sec
• nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-22224

Sources: CISA KEV (exploitation, ransomware use, required action, due date), the CVE record (publication date, CVSS, CNA), NVD and FIRST EPSS (live score). More: all KEV additions in March 2025 · VMware scorecard · act-now radar.