Improper certificate validation in VMware vCenter Server Appliance
Priority LOW 27CWE-295Published · Updated
Key facts
- Attack vector
- Network
- Privileges required
- None
- User interaction
- None
- Attack complexity
- High
- Impact type
- Spoofing
- Confidentiality · integrity · availability
- High · None · None
- Fix status
- No fix listed
Attack profile from CVSS 3.1 · NVD. Fix status from CNA. Impact type from CWE-295.
Summary
Sensitive information disclosure vulnerability resulting from a lack of certificate validation during the File-Based Backup and Restore operations of VMware vCenter Server Appliance (6.7 before 6.7u3a and 6.5 before 6.5u3d) may allow a malicious actor to intercept sensitive data in transit over SCP. A malicious actor with man-in-the-middle positioning between vCenter Server Appliance and a backup target may be able to intercept sensitive data in transit during File-Based Backup and Restore operations.
Why it matters now
EPSS 0.00654 51st 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | VMware vCenter Server Appliance | VMware vCenter Server Appliance (6.7 before 6.7u3a and 6.5 before 6.5u3d) | — | No fix listed | CNA |
- VMware vCenter Server Appliance Vendor— Affected VMware vCenter Server Appliance (6.7 before 6.7u3a and 6.5 before 6.5u3d) Fixed in — No fix listed CNA
CPE configurations NVD · 29
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:a:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 a | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:b:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 b | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:c:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 c | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:d:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 d | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:e:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 e | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:f:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 f | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update1b | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1c:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update1c | Vulnerable | VMware |
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:a:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 a Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:b:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 b Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:c:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 c Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:d:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 d Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:e:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 e Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:f:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 f Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update1 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update1b Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1c:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update1c Vulnerable ·VMware
Show 19 more CPE
| CPE | Versions | Role | Vendor |
|---|---|---|---|
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1d:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update1d | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1e:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update1e | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1g:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update1g | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update2 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2b:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update2b | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update2c | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2d:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update2d | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2g:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update2g | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.5 update3 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:a:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 a | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:b:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 b | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:d:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 d | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 update1 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 update1b | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 update2 | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2a:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 update2a | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 update2c | Vulnerable | VMware |
| cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3:*:*:*:*:*:* | 6.7 update3 | Vulnerable | VMware |
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1d:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update1d Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1e:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update1e Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update1g:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update1g Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update2 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2b:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update2b Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update2c Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2d:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update2d Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update2g:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update2g Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.5:update3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.5 update3 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:-:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:a:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 a Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:b:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 b Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:d:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 d Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 update1 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update1b:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 update1b Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 update2 Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2a:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 update2a Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 update2c Vulnerable ·VMware
- cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:6.7:update3:*:*:*:*:*:* Versions 6.7 update3 Vulnerable ·VMware
Remediation
No fixed version listed by the sources yet.
Timeline
- 2026-10-02 Threatist record created from CVE-2019-5538
- 2026-10-03 Alias added: GHSA-pg6p-7jwx-86vp
- 2026-10-14 EPSS moved to the 50th–90th percentile
References
More VMware Vcenter Server vulnerabilities
- TI-2026-42442 vCenter directory-traversal vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-26040 Privilege escalation in VMware vCenter Server KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-26039 Heap-overflow in VMware vCenter Server KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2024-24610 Out-of-bounds write in VMware vCenter Server KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2023-16914 VMware vCenter Server Out-of-Bounds Write Vulnerability KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
- TI-2021-05049 Path traversal in VMware vCenter Server, VMware Cloud Foundation KEVCVSS 3.1CRITICAL 9.8
Sources
- CVE-2019-5538 · CVE Program
- CVE-2019-5538 · NVD
- FIRST EPSS
- GHSA-pg6p-7jwx-86vp · 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