CVE-2024-38811
📋 TL;DR
CVE-2024-38811 is a code execution vulnerability in VMware Fusion where attackers with standard user privileges can exploit an insecure environment variable to execute arbitrary code within the Fusion application context. This affects VMware Fusion 13.x versions before 13.6 on macOS systems.
💻 Affected Systems
- VMware Fusion
📦 What is this software?
Fusion by Vmware
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Full compromise of the VMware Fusion application leading to host system compromise, data theft, or lateral movement within virtual environments.
Likely Case
Local privilege escalation allowing attackers to execute code with Fusion application privileges, potentially accessing sensitive virtual machine data.
If Mitigated
Limited impact if proper access controls and least privilege principles are enforced, though local code execution remains possible.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local access and standard user privileges. The vulnerability involves environment variable manipulation which is typically straightforward for attackers with local access.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: VMware Fusion 13.6
Vendor Advisory: https://support.broadcom.com/web/ecx/support-content-notification/-/external/content/SecurityAdvisories/0/24939
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download VMware Fusion 13.6 from the official VMware website. 2. Run the installer and follow the upgrade prompts. 3. Restart the system after installation completes. 4. Verify the update was successful by checking the version in VMware Fusion > About VMware Fusion.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Remove vulnerable environment variables
allIdentify and remove or secure the specific environment variables that enable this vulnerability
# Requires identifying the specific vulnerable environment variable from VMware documentation
Restrict user access
allLimit access to systems running vulnerable VMware Fusion to trusted users only
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Restrict VMware Fusion usage to essential personnel only
- Implement strict access controls and monitor for suspicious activity on affected systems
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check VMware Fusion version in the application menu: VMware Fusion > About VMware Fusion. If version is 13.x and less than 13.6, the system is vulnerable.Check Version:
open -a 'VMware Fusion' --args --versionVerify Fix Applied:
After updating, verify the version shows 13.6 or higher in VMware Fusion > About VMware Fusion.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Unusual process execution from VMware Fusion context
- Suspicious environment variable modifications
- Unexpected privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Local exploitation only - no network indicators
SIEM Query:
process.name:"VMware Fusion" AND event.action:"process_execution" AND user.name NOT IN ["trusted_users"]