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Vsphere ClientApplication · VMware

CVE-2014-1209

HIGH · 9.3 CVSS v2.0 Published 2014-04-11
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

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 · unedited
VMware vSphere Client 4.0, 4.1, 5.0 before Update 3, and 5.1 before Update 2 does not properly validate updates to Client files, which allows remote attackers to trigger the downloading and execution of an arbitrary program via unspecified vectors.

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 · high confidence

The VMware vSphere Client fails to properly validate update files, allowing an attacker to supply malicious updates that get downloaded and executed by the client. This is a man-in-the-middle or compromised update server scenario where the client blindly trusts unsigned or improperly signed update packages.

MitigationUpgrade VMware vSphere Client to version 5.0 Update 3, 5.1 Update 2, or later. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to ensure the client can only reach trusted update sources.

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
Vsphere ClientApplication
Affected:= 4.0= 4.1= 5.0= 5.1

CVSS 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
M
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

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 checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Identify installed vSphere Client version
    Check the installed VMware vSphere Client version through Windows Programs and Features, or inspect the client installation directory for version metadata. Compare the version number against the affected versions: 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, or 5.1.
    Affected if The installed version equals 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, or 5.1
  2. Determine if update checking is enabled
    Inspect the vSphere Client configuration settings or registry for update notification preferences. Look for settings related to automatic update checks or manual update notifications.
    Affected if Update checking functionality is enabled or configured to check for updates
  3. Review update server configuration
    Examine the client configuration files or registry for the configured update server URL. Check whether a trusted internal update server or the default VMware update servers are configured.
    Affected if The client is configured to receive updates from an untrusted or unverified update source, or if network access to update servers is not restricted

A system is affected if the vSphere Client version is 4.0, 4.1, 5.0, or 5.1 AND the update checking feature is enabled, making the client vulnerable to malicious update injection via a man-in-the-middle attack.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

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.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Upgrade VMware vSphere Client to version 5.0 Update 3, 5.1 Update 2, or later. If immediate patching is not possible, restrict network access to ensure the client can only reach trusted update sources.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

vSphere Client 5.0 Update 3 or later; vSphere Client 5.1 Update 2 or later (or migrate to modern vSphere/VCenter)

  1. 1. Identify the current vSphere Client version installed by opening the client and checking 'Help' > 'About vSphere Client'
  2. 2. For vSphere Client 5.0: Upgrade to vSphere Client 5.0 Update 3 or later to address the vulnerability
  3. 3. For vSphere Client 5.1: Upgrade to vSphere Client 5.1 Update 2 or later to address the vulnerability
  4. 4. Download the appropriate update from the VMware download portal at www.vmware.com/support/pubs/
  5. 5. Uninstall the existing vSphere Client before installing the updated version, or use the update installer
  6. 6. After upgrade, verify the version by checking 'Help' > 'About vSphere Client' confirms the updated version is installed
  7. 7. For vSphere Client 4.0 and 4.1: Contact VMware support as these older versions may require upgrading to a supported vSphere version
Caveat vSphere Client 4.x and 5.x are legacy products; upgrading may require corresponding vCenter Server version compatibility and may necessitate broader infrastructure upgrade

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Vsphere Client Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation4.0 h
  • Implementation8.0 h
  • Testing4.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
18.0 hours of engineering $3,200
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2014-1209 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.

What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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