Broadcom vs. UNC5174: The Zero-Day Showdown in VMware Land!

Hot Take:

Looks like Broadcom played the role of a digital exterminator, squashing a bug that’s been crawling around VMware for nearly a year. They must’ve had their hands full, considering this zero-day was more like a zero-year! UNC5174 might have thought they found the golden ticket to cyber Willy Wonka’s factory, but Broadcom just slammed the door shut on their sweet deal.

Key Points:

• Broadcom patched six VMware vulnerabilities, including a zero-day CVE-2025-41244.
• CVE-2025-41244 allows local users to escalate privileges to root via VMware Tools and Aria Operations.
• The zero-day has been actively exploited by China-linked threat actor UNC5174 since October 2024.
• Vulnerabilities affect VMware Cloud Foundation, vSphere Foundation, Aria Operations, Tools, and Telco Cloud Platform.
• Broadcom also addressed CVE-2025-41245 and CVE-2025-41246 in the latest patch release.

Patchy Adventures in Cyberland

Broadcom has been busier than a cat at a laser pointer convention, addressing not one, not two, but six VMware vulnerabilities. Among these mischievous gremlins, CVE-2025-41244 stood out like a sore thumb with a CVSS score of 7.8. This flaw was like a digital elevator, taking local users all the way to the penthouse suite of root access through VMware Tools and Aria Operations. It’s been the star of the show since mid-October 2024, thanks to the China-linked threat actor UNC5174, who has been exploiting it like a kid on a candy spree.

The Zero-Day That Time Forgot

CVE-2025-41244’s debut in the wild was more like a coming-of-age story that started in 2024, with UNC5174 playing the role of the rebellious teenager. However, Broadcom’s advisory revealed that this vulnerability was more like that annoying friend who shows up uninvited, giving local actors with non-admin privileges a free pass to root access on VMs. The advisory was pretty clear: “Exploit this and you’re grounded!” With the zero-day’s trivial nature, experts are scratching their heads whether UNC5174’s use of this exploit was a calculated move or just a happy accident.

Versions, Versions Everywhere!

This zero-day was the gift that kept on giving—or taking, depending on your perspective. It impacted an impressive array of VMware products, including Cloud Foundation versions 4.x and 5.x, vSphere Foundation 9.x.x.x, and even versions 13.x.x.x for both Windows and Linux. Not to be left out, VMware Aria Operations 8.x, Tools 11.x.x, 12.x.x, and 13.x.x, along with Telco Cloud Platform 4.x and 5.x, were also on the guest list of this privilege escalation party.

Patch, Please!

Broadcom wasn’t just stopping with CVE-2025-41244; they rolled up their sleeves and tackled other vulnerabilities too. CVE-2025-41245 was an information disclosure vulnerability, while CVE-2025-41246 involved improper authorization. These were patched across various VMware products, like Aria Ops, Tools, Cloud, and Telco. Broadcom’s patching spree was like a superhero team-up, taking down vulnerabilities one by one and restoring peace to the digital universe.

UNC5174: The Villain of the Piece

UNC5174 has been making waves in the cyber world, operating like a digital James Bond villain. This China-linked threat actor has been repeatedly linked to initial access operations through public exploitation. With their fingers in the zero-day pie, they’ve been causing quite the commotion. Their exploits have been the talk of the town, but with Broadcom’s recent patches, it looks like UNC5174 will have to find another playground.

Conclusion: The Cyber Saga Continues

As Broadcom patches up the loose ends, the world of cybersecurity watches with bated breath. Will UNC5174 find another way to cause mischief, or has Broadcom’s intervention put a stop to their antics? Only time will tell. Meanwhile, cybersecurity pros should keep their eyes peeled and their systems patched, because in the world of cyber threats, there’s never a dull moment.