CVE-2024-37087: VMware Cloud Foundation DoS Vulnerability

CVE-2024-37087 Overview

CVE-2024-37087 is a denial-of-service vulnerability affecting VMware vCenter Server and VMware Cloud Foundation. A malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server can exploit this vulnerability to create a denial-of-service condition, potentially disrupting critical virtualization infrastructure management operations.

The vulnerability is classified under CWE-732 (Incorrect Permission Assignment for Critical Resource), indicating that improper permission controls allow unauthorized network-based attackers to impact system availability. Given that vCenter Server serves as the centralized management platform for VMware virtualized environments, successful exploitation could significantly impact enterprise operations.

Critical Impact

Network-accessible attackers can disrupt vCenter Server availability without authentication, potentially affecting management of entire virtualized infrastructure environments.

Affected Products

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

Discovery Timeline

• June 25, 2024 - CVE-2024-37087 published to NVD
• June 27, 2025 - Last updated in NVD database

Technical Details for CVE-2024-37087

Vulnerability Analysis

This vulnerability stems from incorrect permission assignment for critical resources within the vCenter Server architecture. The flaw allows network-based attackers to send specially crafted requests that consume server resources or disrupt normal service operations, leading to a denial-of-service condition.

The attack can be executed remotely without requiring any privileges or user interaction, making it particularly accessible to potential attackers. While the vulnerability does not compromise data confidentiality or integrity, the availability impact can be significant for organizations relying on vCenter Server for virtualization management.

Root Cause

The root cause of CVE-2024-37087 is improper permission assignment for critical resources (CWE-732). This configuration weakness allows unauthorized network requests to be processed in a manner that can exhaust server resources or trigger service disruptions. The vulnerability indicates that access controls governing certain vCenter Server functions are insufficiently restrictive, permitting malicious actors to abuse these functions for denial-of-service attacks.

Attack Vector

The attack vector is network-based, requiring only network connectivity to the vCenter Server instance. The exploitation characteristics include:

• Network Access Required: Attacker must have network-level access to the vCenter Server management interface
• No Authentication Needed: The vulnerability can be exploited without valid credentials
• No User Interaction: Exploitation does not require any action from legitimate users
• Remote Exploitation: Attack can be launched from any network-connected system with access to vCenter Server

The attack targets the availability of the vCenter Server service. While the direct impact is limited to service disruption rather than data compromise, the downstream effects on virtualization management capabilities can be substantial in enterprise environments.

Detection Methods for CVE-2024-37087

Indicators of Compromise

• Unusual network traffic patterns or connection spikes targeting vCenter Server management ports (typically 443)
• Unexpected service restarts or degraded performance of vCenter Server services
• Log entries indicating resource exhaustion or abnormal request processing
• Authentication-related anomalies in vCenter Server logs from unknown network sources

Detection Strategies

• Implement network monitoring to detect abnormal traffic volumes or patterns targeting vCenter Server infrastructure
• Configure alerting for vCenter Server service health degradation or unexpected restarts
• Enable comprehensive logging on vCenter Server and forward logs to a SIEM for correlation analysis
• Deploy network-based intrusion detection rules to identify potential DoS attack patterns against VMware infrastructure

Monitoring Recommendations

• Monitor vCenter Server resource utilization (CPU, memory, network) for abnormal spikes that may indicate exploitation attempts
• Implement baseline analysis of normal vCenter Server traffic patterns to identify deviations
• Configure real-time alerts for vCenter Server service availability and response time degradation
• Review vCenter Server access logs regularly for suspicious connection attempts from unauthorized network sources

How to Mitigate CVE-2024-37087

Immediate Actions Required

• Apply the latest security patches from VMware/Broadcom to all affected vCenter Server and Cloud Foundation installations
• Restrict network access to vCenter Server management interfaces using firewall rules and network segmentation
• Implement rate limiting on network devices protecting vCenter Server to mitigate potential DoS attempts
• Enable enhanced logging and monitoring on vCenter Server instances to detect exploitation attempts

Patch Information

VMware (now Broadcom) has released security updates to address this vulnerability. Administrators should consult the Broadcom Security Advisory #24505 for specific patch information and download links. Organizations should prioritize patching based on the network exposure of their vCenter Server deployments.

For vCenter Server 7.0, ensure you have applied updates beyond version 7.0 Update 3p. For vCenter Server 8.0, ensure you have applied updates beyond version 8.0 Update 2d. VMware Cloud Foundation customers should follow the corresponding patching guidance in the security advisory.

Workarounds

• Implement strict network access controls to limit connectivity to vCenter Server from trusted networks only
• Deploy a web application firewall (WAF) or network firewall with rate limiting capabilities in front of vCenter Server
• Use network segmentation to isolate vCenter Server management traffic from general user networks
• Consider deploying vCenter Server behind a VPN for additional access control if external access is required

# Example: Restrict vCenter Server access using firewall rules
# Allow access only from trusted management networks

# Linux iptables example for restricting access to vCenter
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 10.0.0.0/8 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -s 192.168.1.0/24 -j ACCEPT
iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP

# Windows Firewall example (PowerShell)
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "vCenter Access - Trusted Networks" `
  -Direction Inbound -Protocol TCP -LocalPort 443 `
  -RemoteAddress 10.0.0.0/8,192.168.1.0/24 -Action Allow