CVE-2023-20896

The VMware vCenter Server contains an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the implementation of the DCERPC protocol. A malicious actor with network access to vCenter Server may trigger an out-of-bounds read by sending a specially crafted packet leading to denial-of-service of certain services (vmcad, vmdird, and vmafdd).

Published: 2023-06-22 Last update: 2024-11-21 Assigner: [email protected] Source: [email protected]
NVD Status：Modified，CVE State: published
View at NVD, CVE.org, EUVD

CVE-2023-20896 is rated Moderate Risk (43.9/100): CVSS Medium severity, with medium exploitation likelihood (EPSS 0.36%). Review affected assets and schedule remediation.

Risk is dynamic; we continuously reassess and refresh what is shown on this page as upstream context changes.

Exploit prediction scoring system (EPSS) score for CVE-2023-20896

EPSS lead: Daily EPSS estimates relative likelihood of exploitation; percentile ranks this CVE among scored vulnerabilities (higher = more severe relative rank).

# Date Old EPSS score New EPSS score Delta (New - Old)
1 2026-03-17 0.29% 0.36% +0.07%
2 2025-04-30 0.38% 0.29% -0.09%
3 2025-03-30 — 0.38% —

Full EPSS history (7 records total)

Common vulnerability scoring system (CVSS) metrics for CVE-2023-20896

CVSS metrics for this CVE.

Base score Version Severity Vector Exploitability Impact Score source
5.9 3.1 MEDIUM
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:H)
Even with access, the exploit needs extra luck, timing, or a fussy environment to actually work.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 2.2 3.6 [email protected]
7.5 3.1 HIGH
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H Click to expand
Attack vector (AV:N)
Could be attacked over the internet or any normal routed network—not just someone sitting at the machine.
Attack complexity (AC:L)
Once they can reach the bug, pulling it off is straightforward—no weird race conditions or rare setup.
Privileges required (PR:N)
No account or special rights needed—anonymous or random user is enough.
User interaction (UI:N)
Nobody has to click “OK” or open a trap file; it can work without a victim helping.
Scope (S:U)
Damage stays in the same “trust bubble” as the broken component—no big spill into unrelated systems.
Confidentiality (C:N)
Doesn’t really leak secrets in a meaningful way.
Integrity (I:N)
Data isn’t meaningfully altered or forged.
Availability (A:H)
Could take the service down hard or make it unusable for people who depend on it.
 3.9 3.6 [email protected]

Weakness enumeration for CVE-2023-20896

Affected software / configurations for CVE-2023-20896

Vendor Product Version Raw CPE
vmware vcenter_server >= 4.0, < 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:a:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:b:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:c:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:d:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1a:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1c:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update1d:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2a:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2b:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2c:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update2d:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3a:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3c:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3d:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3e:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3f:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3g:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3h:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3i:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3j:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3k:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 7.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:7.0:update3l:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 8.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:8.0:-:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 8.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:8.0:a:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 8.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:8.0:b:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 8.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:8.0:c:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 8.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:8.0:update1:*:*:*:*:*:*
vmware vcenter_server 8.0 cpe:2.3:a:vmware:vcenter_server:8.0:update1a:*:*:*:*:*:*

References for CVE-2023-20896

cvelogic Threat Intelligence