The VMX process in VMware ESXi 3.5 through 4.1 and ESX 3.5 through 4.1 does not properly…
Priority MEDIUM 48CWE-119Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- Low
- Impact type
- Code execution
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · High · High
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-119 and the CVSS impact.
Summary
The VMX process in VMware ESXi 3.5 through 4.1 and ESX 3.5 through 4.1 does not properly handle RPC commands, which allows guest OS users to cause a denial of service (memory overwrite and process crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code on the host OS via vectors involving data pointers.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.03198 88th percentileScored 2026-11-07
Fix No fix listed No fixed version in the sources yet
SSVC decision points
Not available: CISA has not published SSVC decision points for this record.
Affected products
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in | Status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | — | all versions | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- — Vendor— Affected all versions Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 14
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.5 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:update1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.5 update1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:update2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.5 update2 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:update3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.5 update3 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.5 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:3.5:1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 3.5 1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:4.0:1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 4.0 1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.5 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:update1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.5 update1 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:update2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.5 update2 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:3.5:update3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.5 update3 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esx:4.1:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.1 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:3.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.5 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:3.5:1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 3.5 1 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:4.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:4.0:1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 4.0 1 Vulnerable ·VMware
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2012-1516
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-35cq-g3fr-gm2p
References
More VMware Esx vulnerabilities
- TI-2014-05975 GNU Bash through 4.3 bash43-025 processes trailing strings after certain malformed… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2014-05157 GNU Bash through 4.3 processes trailing strings after function definitions in the values… KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2009-03557 Directory traversal vulnerability in VMware Server 1.x before 1.0.10 build 203137 and 2.x… CVSS 2.0MEDIUM 5.0
- TI-2007-00059 Integer underflow in the DHCP server in EMC VMware Workstation before 5.5.5 Build 56455… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
- TI-2010-02816 The xfs implementation in the Linux kernel before 2.6.35 does not look up inode… CVSS 3.1HIGH 8.1
- TI-2007-00057 The DHCP server in EMC VMware Workstation before 5.5.5 Build 56455 and 6.x before 6.0.1… CVSS 2.0HIGH 10.0
Sources
- CVE-2012-1516 · CVE Program
- CVE-2012-1516 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-35cq-g3fr-gm2p · GitHub Advisory Database · CC BY 4.0
This product uses the NVD API but is not endorsed or certified by the NVD. Sources and licences