Open-vm-tools Security Update: Authentication Bypass Vulnerability

open-vm-tools Updated 02 Oct 2025

Summary

29/06/2023
N/A
Yes i
Unrated
Not published

ALSA-2023:3949: Low: open-vm-tools security update. Affects open-vm-tools versions < 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma. Fixed in 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma. How to fix ↓

Free scan

Check if this vulnerability affects your application

Upload a manifest or SBOM and we'll show whether you're affected, plus every other risky package in the same scan.

Check my app free

No signup required · Results in about 60 seconds

Upload your dependency manifest or SBOM

Drag & drop your file here or

Java Javascript PHP Python Go Rust Ruby Dart C/C++ Elixir CycloneDX SPDX

Upload a supported dependency manifest or SBOM. No installation or source-code access required.

See supported files and SBOM formats
SBOM sbom.json · bom.json · bom.xml · *.spdx.json · *.cdx.json · *.cdx.xml
Java pom.xml · gradle.lockfile · buildscript-gradle.lockfile
Javascript package-lock.json · yarn.lock · pnpm-lock.yaml
PHP composer.lock
Python poetry.lock · requirements.txt · Pipfile.lock
Go go.mod
Rust Cargo.lock
Ruby Gemfile.lock
Dart pubspec.lock
C/C++ conan.lock
Elixir mix.lock
Enter your work email to receive your report link.

Verify your email to view the full report and start 30 days of continuous monitoring. No credit card required.

Sponsored Devnack Penetration testing for web, API and mobile Manual testing by engineers who build software, not an auditor's checklist. Trusted by teams at Swift and Google Talk to Devnack

Background

Open-vm-tools is the open source implementation of VMware Tools, providing virtualization components that enhance performance and user experience in virtual machines. It is widely used in AlmaLinux 8 ecosystem. However, a security vulnerability has been discovered in the vgauth module of open-vm-tools, which allows for authentication bypass.

Vulnerability Detail

The authentication bypass vulnerability (CVE-2023-20867) in the vgauth module of open-vm-tools can be exploited by an attacker to bypass authentication mechanisms. This could potentially lead to unauthorized access and privilege escalation within virtual machines. The impact of this vulnerability can vary depending on the specific environment and usage of open-vm-tools.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma

This is the first release that contains the fix.

sudo dnf update open-vm-tools

Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →

Workaround

No specific workaround has been provided for this vulnerability. It is advised to apply the security update as soon as possible to mitigate the risk.

Conclusion

The authentication bypass vulnerability in the vgauth module of open-vm-tools poses a security risk that can lead to unauthorized access and privilege escalation. It is crucial to update the open-vm-tools package to the latest version to mitigate this vulnerability. For further support and assistance in vulnerability remediation, please contact DevNack.com.

See every vulnerability recorded for open-vm-tools →

Share this vulnerability

FAQ

Open-vm-tools is the open source implementation of VMware Tools, providing virtualization components for enhanced performance and user experience in virtual machines.

The vulnerability allows for authentication bypass, potentially leading to unauthorized access and privilege escalation within virtual machines.

To fix this vulnerability, update the open-vm-tools package to version 12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma or later.

No specific workaround has been provided. It is recommended to apply the security update.

More information about this vulnerability can be found in the CVE page: CVE-2023-20867.

Related vulnerabilities

Recent vulnerabilities recorded for open-vm-tools.

How To Fix

Minimum fixed version

12.1.5-2.el8_8.alma

This is the first release that contains the fix.

sudo dnf update open-vm-tools

Tip — Not sure which version your app runs? Vulert can match this fix to it. Scan free →

Subscribe to Vulert on Telegram
Daily digest of new CVEs, critical and high severity, affected packages and fixes — plus a weekly roundup.
Join the channel →
Help improve this record
Report an issue or send feedback