---
id: "CVE-2025-41244"
kind: "vulnerability"
aliases: ["CVE-2025-41244"]
title: "VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability"
severity: "high"
cvss: 7.8
epss: null
exploited: true
status: "open"
category: "vendor"
products: [{"name": "Broadcom VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools", "fixed": [], "affected": "", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware aria operations", "fixed": ["8.18.5"], "affected": ">= 8.0, < 8.18.5", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware cloud foundation", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 4.0, <= 5.2.2", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware cloud foundation operations", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 9.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware open vm tools", "fixed": ["12.5.4"], "affected": ">= 11.2.0, < 12.5.4", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware open vm tools", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 13.0.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware telco cloud infrastructure", "fixed": [], "affected": ">= 2.2, <= 3.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware telco cloud platform", "fixed": ["5.0.1"], "affected": ">= 4.0, < 5.0.1", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "debian linux", "fixed": [], "affected": "= 11.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware tools", "fixed": ["12.5.4"], "affected": ">= 12.5.0, < 12.5.4", "ecosystem": "vendor"}, {"name": "vmware tools", "fixed": ["13.0.5.0"], "affected": ">= 13.0.0.0, < 13.0.5.0", "ecosystem": "vendor"}]
ecosystems: ["vendor"]
tags: ["exploited", "vendor", "vmware", "vmware-aria-operations", "vmware-tools"]
not_affected_if: ["no-aria-operations-management", "sdmp-disabled"]
published_at: "2025-09-29T17:15:30+00:00"
first_seen_at: "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"
updated_at: "2026-10-23T23:44:51+00:00"
sources: [{"source": "kev", "url": "https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2025-41244", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00"}, {"source": "nvd", "url": "https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-41244", "first_seen_at": "2026-10-23T23:44:51+00:00"}]
---

# VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability

A local user with non-admin access on a VM running VMware Tools managed by Aria Operations with SDMP enabled can escalate to root on that same VM. CISA lists it as actively exploited in the wild.

_Summary, check and fix written by a model from the sources; labelled as such._

## Affected

- vendor:Broadcom VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools affected ? fixed ?
- vendor:vmware aria operations affected >= 8.0, < 8.18.5 fixed 8.18.5
- vendor:vmware cloud foundation affected >= 4.0, <= 5.2.2 fixed ?
- vendor:vmware cloud foundation operations affected = 9.0 fixed ?
- vendor:vmware open vm tools affected >= 11.2.0, < 12.5.4 fixed 12.5.4
- vendor:vmware open vm tools affected = 13.0.0 fixed ?
- vendor:vmware telco cloud infrastructure affected >= 2.2, <= 3.0 fixed ?
- vendor:vmware telco cloud platform affected >= 4.0, < 5.0.1 fixed 5.0.1
- vendor:debian linux affected = 11.0 fixed ?
- vendor:vmware tools affected >= 12.5.0, < 12.5.4 fixed 12.5.4
- vendor:vmware tools affected >= 13.0.0.0, < 13.0.5.0 fixed 13.0.5.0

## How to check

Check whether Aria Operations is managing the VM and whether SDMP is enabled in Aria Operations; the sources do not give a command or file path for this.

## Fix

Apply the vendor mitigation or patch from Broadcom's advisory for VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools; the sources do not name the fixed version.
If mitigations are unavailable, CISA says discontinue use of the product.

## Timeline

- 2026-10-23T19:11:51+00:00 kev https://www.cisa.gov/known-exploited-vulnerabilities-catalog?search_api_fulltext=CVE-2025-41244
- 2026-10-23T23:44:51+00:00 nvd https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2025-41244

## From the sources

Broadcom VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools contain a privilege defined with unsafe actions 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.

CISA required action: Apply mitigations per vendor instructions, follow applicable BOD 22-01 guidance for cloud services, or discontinue use of the product if mitigations are unavailable.

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_Free to read at a human pace. An API with keys and an MCP server are in preparation; early access: hello@infrastack.ai_