CVE-2024-37080: VMware vCenter Server RCE Vulnerability

CVE-2024-37080 Overview

CVE-2024-37080 is a critical heap-overflow vulnerability in VMware vCenter Server's implementation of the DCERPC (Distributed Computing Environment / Remote Procedure Calls) protocol. This vulnerability allows a malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server to execute arbitrary code remotely by sending a specially crafted network packet. Given vCenter Server's central role in managing VMware virtualization infrastructure, successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of the virtualized environment.

Critical Impact

Remote code execution without authentication on VMware vCenter Server, potentially allowing attackers to take complete control of virtualized infrastructure and all managed ESXi hosts.

Affected Products

• VMware vCenter Server 7.0 (all versions through Update 3p)
• VMware vCenter Server 8.0 (all versions through Update 2c)
• VMware Cloud Foundation (versions using affected vCenter Server)

Discovery Timeline

• June 18, 2024 - CVE-2024-37080 published to NVD
• March 13, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-37080

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability resides in vCenter Server's DCERPC protocol implementation, which is used for remote service communication within VMware environments. The heap-overflow condition occurs when the server processes maliciously crafted network packets, allowing attackers to corrupt heap memory structures. Since this vulnerability requires no authentication and can be exploited remotely over the network, it represents a significant threat to organizations running vulnerable vCenter Server instances.

The DCERPC protocol is fundamental to Windows-based network communication and is used extensively in enterprise environments for remote procedure calls. VMware's implementation of this protocol in vCenter Server contains insufficient bounds checking when processing certain packet structures, leading to the heap buffer overflow condition (CWE-122, CWE-787).

Root Cause

The root cause is an out-of-bounds write vulnerability (CWE-787) manifesting as a heap-based buffer overflow (CWE-122) in the DCERPC protocol handling code. When vCenter Server receives specially crafted DCERPC packets, insufficient validation of packet length or structure fields allows data to be written beyond the allocated heap buffer boundaries. This memory corruption can be leveraged to overwrite adjacent heap metadata or application data, ultimately enabling arbitrary code execution.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring only network connectivity to the vCenter Server management interface. An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by:

1. Identifying a vulnerable vCenter Server instance exposed on the network
2. Crafting a malicious DCERPC packet with oversized or malformed data fields
3. Sending the packet to the vCenter Server's DCERPC service endpoint
4. Triggering the heap overflow to corrupt memory and gain code execution

The vulnerability requires no user interaction or prior authentication, making it particularly dangerous for internet-exposed or insufficiently segmented vCenter Server deployments.

The exploitation mechanism involves sending malformed DCERPC protocol packets that trigger the heap overflow condition. Due to the sensitive nature of this vulnerability, specific exploitation details are not provided here. Organizations should refer to the Broadcom Security Advisory for additional technical information and remediation guidance.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-37080

Indicators of Compromise

• Unexpected crashes or service restarts of vCenter Server services, particularly related to DCERPC handling
• Anomalous network traffic patterns targeting vCenter Server on DCERPC-related ports (TCP 135, 445, or dynamic RPC ports)
• Evidence of heap corruption or memory access violations in vCenter Server logs
• Unauthorized processes spawning from vCenter Server service contexts

Detection Strategies

• Deploy network intrusion detection signatures to identify malformed DCERPC packets targeting vCenter Server
• Monitor vCenter Server process memory for signs of heap corruption or anomalous memory allocation patterns
• Implement application-level logging to capture DCERPC transaction details and flag oversized requests
• Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions to monitor for post-exploitation behaviors on vCenter Server hosts

Monitoring Recommendations

• Enable verbose logging on vCenter Server and configure centralized log collection for security analysis
• Monitor network connections to vCenter Server and alert on traffic from unauthorized sources
• Implement file integrity monitoring on vCenter Server binaries and configuration files
• Establish baseline behavior patterns for vCenter Server services to detect anomalous activity

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-37080

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply VMware security patches immediately to all affected vCenter Server instances
• Restrict network access to vCenter Server to authorized management networks only
• Implement network segmentation to isolate vCenter Server from untrusted network segments
• Review access logs for any suspicious activity prior to patching

Patch Information

VMware (now Broadcom) has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Organizations should update to the following minimum versions:

• vCenter Server 8.0: Update to version 8.0 Update 2d or later
• vCenter Server 7.0: Update to version 7.0 Update 3q or later
• Cloud Foundation: Apply the corresponding vCenter Server updates per VMware guidance

Detailed patch information is available in the Broadcom Security Advisory.

Workarounds

• If immediate patching is not possible, implement strict network access controls to limit vCenter Server exposure
• Use firewall rules to restrict DCERPC protocol access to only trusted management hosts
• Consider temporarily isolating vCenter Server to a dedicated management VLAN with stringent access controls
• Monitor for exploitation attempts while preparing to deploy patches

# Example: Restrict vCenter Server network access using iptables
# Allow only trusted management subnet to access vCenter
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.100.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP

# Block direct DCERPC access from untrusted networks
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 135 -s 10.0.100.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 135 -j DROP