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Is your VMware vCenter Server still unpatched for CVE-2024-37079 (active exploit)? A practical patch-and-hardening checklist for vCenter 7.0/8.0 admins.
If VMware vCenter Server is unpatched, assume it is a high-value target and act now. CVE-2024-37079 has confirmed in-the-wild exploitation and was added to CISA’s Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, which is a strong signal to prioritize remediation.
The core risk is remote code execution from the network: CVE-2024-37079 is a heap-overflow flaw in vCenter Server’s DCERPC implementation that can be triggered with a specially crafted network packet, potentially leading to code execution.
CVE-2024-37080 is another critical DCERPC heap-overflow issue described similarly: network access plus a crafted packet can enable remote code execution on vulnerable vCenter Server instances. In parallel, CVE-2024-37081 is a privilege-escalation weakness tied to sudo configuration, letting an authenticated local user elevate privileges to root on the vCenter Server Appliance.
Why this matters
vCenter is not “just another server”; it is the control plane for clusters, hosts, and VM operations, so compromise can cascade into broad infrastructure control. CISA’s KEV addition for CVE-2024-37079 reflects real attacker activity, not theoretical risk. Public reporting around the KEV entry also notes a federal remediation due date (Feb 13, 2026) for affected U.S. agencies, which helps underscore urgency even for non-government environments.
What to do now
- Patch vCenter Server on an emergency basis, starting with any instance reachable from untrusted networks, because the exploited weakness enables remote code execution via network packets.
- Reduce exposure immediately: restrict network reachability to vCenter management interfaces while patching is in progress, since exploitation requires network access.
- Treat CVE-2024-37081 as a post-compromise risk amplifier: if an attacker gains a foothold, local privilege escalation to root can help them persist and take full control of the appliance.
- Use the KEV status to justify change windows and escalation: “actively exploited” is the cleanest decision trigger for emergency patching.
Patch validation and response checks
After updates, confirm the remediation state using vendor guidance and verify you did not leave older, still-reachable management paths open that preserve the same “network access to vCenter” condition described in the CVEs.
If patching was delayed, assume the possibility of compromise and perform incident-response triage aligned to the risk of remote code execution on vCenter. Keep leadership messaging simple: active exploitation plus control-plane impact equals high operational and financial risk.