CVE-2024-37085: VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability. VMware

VMware ESXi Authentication Bypass Vulnerability. VMware ESXi contains an authentication bypass vulnerability. A malicious actor with sufficient Active Directory (AD) permissions can gain full access to an ESXi host that was previously configured to use AD for user management by re-creating the configured AD group ('ESXi Admins' by default) after it was deleted from AD.

• CISA KEV-listed (remediation due 2024-08-20)
• used in ransomware campaigns
• EPSS 80.3% (99.1% percentile)

Detection rules

• Potential Exploitation of CVE-2024-37085 - Suspicious Creation Of ESX Admins Group high
• Potential Exploitation of CVE-2024-37085 - Suspicious ESX Admins Group Activity high

Related briefings

• BlackByte Ransomware Evolves: Four Vulnerable Drivers, ESXi Zero-Day Exploitation, and Victim Credentials Baked Into the Payload 2026-02-16

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