ServerApplication · VMware
CVE-2008-3697
Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.
NVD · uneditedAn unspecified ISAPI extension in VMware Server before 1.0.7 build 108231 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (IIS crash) via a malformed request.
Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.
dbcve analysis · moderate confidenceAn unspecified ISAPI extension in VMware Server versions prior to 1.0.7 build 108231 contains a flaw that allows remote attackers to crash IIS via malformed HTTP requests, resulting in denial of service.
Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.
Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.
NVD · CPE data
ServerApplication
= 1.0.1_build_29996= 1.0.3= 1.0.4_build_56528
Vmware ServerApplication
<= 1.0.6= 1.0= 1.0.0= 1.0.1= 1.0.2= 1.0.4= 1.0.5CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.
From the vector- Attack vector
- Network
- Complexity
- Low
- Authentication
- None
- Confidentiality
- None
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- Partial
AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:P
Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.
dbcve checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
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Check if VMware Server is installedLook for VMware Server in Add/Remove Programs (Windows) or check for the installation directory (typically C:\Program Files\VMware\VMware Server or similar). Also check the Windows Services list for VMware services.Affected if VMware Server is installed on the system running IIS
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Identify the installed VMware Server versionCheck the installed version through Windows Add/Remove Programs, or look for version information in the VMware Server installation directory, or check the VMware services installed on the system.Affected if The installed version is any of the following: 1.0.1_build_29996, 1.0.3, 1.0.4_build_56528, 1.0.6 or earlier, or versions 1.0, 1.0.0, 1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.4, 1.0.5. If version is unknown, assume affected if it is any 1.0.x version prior to 1.0.7 build 108231.
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Confirm IIS is running on the same hostCheck if Internet Information Services (IIS) is installed and running. Use the IIS Manager or run 'iisreset /status' or check for w3svc service in services.msc.Affected if IIS is running on the same Windows system as VMware Server
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Verify the VMware ISAPI extension is loaded in IISOpen IIS Manager, select the web server, double-click ISAPI Filters, or check ISAPI and CGI Restrictions. Look for any VMware-related ISAPI extension entries. Alternatively, check the IIS metabase or applicationHost.config for ISAPI filter entries referencing VMware.Affected if A VMware ISAPI extension is present and enabled in IIS configuration
You are affected if VMware Server version 1.0.7 build 108231 or later is NOT installed AND the VMware ISAPI extension is enabled in IIS, which can be crashed via malformed HTTP requests.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.
From vendor dataUpgrade VMware Server to version 1.0.7 build 108231 or later to patch the vulnerable ISAPI extension. If upgrade is not feasible, consider restricting network access to the affected IIS server as a temporary measure.
Fix this in Server
Scoped from the published advisory
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation3.0 h
- Testing2.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,272.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2008-3697 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2008-3697 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
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- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
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