VMware Security Update: Broadcom Releases Critical Fixes for Aria Operations & VMware Tools (VMSA-2025-0015)
Published: September 30, 2025
Broadcom has released a new security advisory VMSA-2025-0015, addressing multiple vulnerabilities discovered in VMware Aria Operations, VMware Tools, and related platforms including VMware Cloud Foundation and VMware Telco Cloud. These vulnerabilities, reported privately to Broadcom, have been classified as Important with CVSSv3 base scores ranging between 4.9 and 7.8, highlighting the need for immediate patching by IT administrators worldwide.
Why It Matters
VMware products are widely deployed across data centers, hybrid clouds, and telecom environments. A single unpatched vulnerability can expose organizations to risks such as privilege escalation, data disclosure, or unauthorized access across virtual machines (VMs). With enterprises in India, Europe, North America, and beyond depending on VMware for critical workloads, staying updated with the latest patches is essential to ensure business continuity and regulatory compliance.
Key Vulnerabilities Fixed
Broadcom’s advisory lists three main vulnerabilities impacting VMware Aria Operations and VMware Tools:
1. Local Privilege Escalation (CVE-2025-41244)
- Severity: Important (CVSS 7.8)
- Impact: A malicious local user with non-admin privileges on a VM (with VMware Tools installed and managed by Aria Operations) could escalate privileges to root level.
- Resolution: Upgrade to VMware Tools 13.0.5 or 12.5.4, and Aria Operations 8.18.5 depending on your environment.
- Workaround: None available, patching is mandatory.
2. Information Disclosure in Aria Operations (CVE-2025-41245)
- Severity: Moderate (CVSS 4.9)
- Impact: A malicious user inside Aria Operations could exploit this flaw to access credentials of other users, potentially leading to lateral movement within environments.
- Resolution: Update to Aria Operations 8.18.5 or the fixed version provided for VMware Cloud Foundation and Telco platforms.
- Workaround: None – patch installation required.
3. Improper Authorization in VMware Tools (CVE-2025-41246)
- Severity: Important (CVSS 7.6)
- Impact: On Windows VMs, a non-admin actor authenticated via vCenter/ESXi could exploit this flaw to gain unauthorized access to other guest VMs if they know the credentials.
- Resolution: Update VMware Tools to 13.0.5 (Windows) or 12.5.4 (legacy systems). Linux and macOS guests are unaffected.
- Workaround: None.
Impacted VMware Products
- VMware Aria Operations (8.x, 5.x, 4.x, 3.x, 2.x)
- VMware Tools (Windows, Linux – versions 11.x, 12.x, 13.x)
- VMware Cloud Foundation (vSphere Foundation & Aria Operations modules)
- VMware Telco Cloud Platform & Infrastructure
Fixed Versions Available
- VMware Cloud Foundation Operations 9.0.1.0
- VMware Aria Operations 8.18.5
- VMware Tools 13.0.5 / 12.5.4
Official Broadcom documentation, release notes, and download links are available on the Broadcom Support Portal.
What you should do
Check Your Environment
Identify whether your organization is running vulnerable versions of VMware Tools or Aria Operations.Prioritize Critical Systems
Since CVE-2025-41244 and CVE-2025-41246 are rated high severity, prioritize patching production systems exposed to internal or external users.Apply Patches Immediately
Use the official fixed versions provided by Broadcom to close security gaps. No workarounds are available, making patching the only way to mitigate risk.Monitor for Exploitation Attempts
Even if attackers require local or authenticated access, organizations should monitor logs, identity access systems, and SIEM alerts for suspicious privilege escalations.
Why Immediate Patching is Crucial
Cybersecurity researchers and malicious actors keep a close eye on VMware advisories. Delays in patching can lead to exploitation in data centers, telecom networks, and cloud service providers. Attackers often target known VMware flaws because of their deep integration into essential IT systems.
For companies in India, Singapore, US, and Europe, where data protection laws like GDPR, HIPAA, and the RBI IT Act require secure handling of information, failing to patch can also lead to compliance penalties.
Final Thoughts
The Broadcom advisory VMSA-2025-0015 underscores how VMware Tools and Aria Operations remain prime targets for attackers. Since no workarounds exist, immediate patching is the only way forward.
If you manage VMware in your organization, schedule patch deployments without delay, test them in staging environments, and ensure proper backups before rollout. Staying proactive will help protect your VMs, cloud workloads, and sensitive business data from evolving threats.
For detailed documentation and downloads, visit the official Broadcom VMware Security Advisory Page
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