HOME VULNERABILITIESCVE-2005-4459

CRITICAL

CVE-2005-4459

CWE-119Published: December 21, 2005· Updated: Jul 7, 2026

10.0

CVSS v3.1

Official Description

Heap-based buffer overflow in the NAT networking components vmnat.exe and vmnet-natd in VMWare Workstation 5.5, GSX Server 3.2, ACE 1.0.1, and Player 1.0 allows remote authenticated attackers, including guests, to execute arbitrary code via crafted (1) EPRT and (2) PORT FTP commands.

Technical Analysis

CVE-2005-4459 can be exploited remotely over the network without requiring physical or adjacent access, significantly expanding the attack surface for threat actors.

Exploitation requires some privileges, which limits the exposure to scenarios where an attacker has already gained initial access.

From a weakness classification perspective (CWE-119): Buffer overflow vulnerabilities can lead to arbitrary code execution or denial of service by corrupting adjacent memory.

CVSS v3.1 Vector Breakdown

Exploitability

Attack VectorNetwork

Attack ComplexityLow

Privileges Req.

User Interaction

Scope

Impact

ConfidentialityC

IntegrityC

AvailabilityC

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

Affected Vendors & Products

VMware4 product(s)

acegsx serverplayerworkstation

Source: NVD CPE · 20 total CPE entries

Exploit & PoC Resources

NO KNOWN EXPLOITNo public exploit confirmed at this time

Offensive Security exploit database

GitHub PoC Search

Community PoC repositories

Rapid7 / Metasploit

Metasploit module search

Security advisories & exploits

Official NIST entry

CVE Program entry

External links open in a new tab. Always verify in a controlled environment before use.

Official Patches & Advisories

PATCHhttp://secunia.com/advisories/18162

PATCHhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/15998

PATCHhttp://www.vmware.com/support/kb/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2000

PATCHhttp://secunia.com/advisories/18162

PATCHhttp://www.securityfocus.com/bid/15998

PATCHhttp://www.vmware.com/support/kb/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2000

ADVISORYhttp://secunia.com/advisories/18344

ADVISORYhttp://securityreason.com/securityalert/282

ADVISORYhttp://securityreason.com/securityalert/289

ADVISORYhttp://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200601-04.xml

ADVISORYhttp://secunia.com/advisories/18344

ADVISORYhttp://securityreason.com/securityalert/282

ADVISORYhttp://securityreason.com/securityalert/289

ADVISORYhttp://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200601-04.xml

All References (26)

→

http://lists.grok.org.uk/pipermail/full-disclosure/2005-December/040442.htmlExploit

→

http://secunia.com/advisories/18162Patch · Vendor Advisory

→

http://secunia.com/advisories/18344Vendor Advisory

→

http://securityreason.com/securityalert/282Third Party Advisory

→

http://securityreason.com/securityalert/289Third Party Advisory

→

http://securitytracker.com/id?1015401Permissions Required

→

http://www.gentoo.org/security/en/glsa/glsa-200601-04.xmlThird Party Advisory

→

http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/856689US Government Resource

→

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/419997/100/0/threadedBroken Link

→

http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/420017/100/0/threadedBroken Link

→

http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/15998Patch · Broken Link

→

http://www.vmware.com/support/kb/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=2000Patch · Broken Link

→

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2005/3013URL Repurposed

→

http://lists.grok.org.uk/pipermail/full-disclosure/2005-December/040442.htmlExploit

→

http://secunia.com/advisories/18162Patch · Vendor Advisory

Quick Facts

CVE IDCVE-2005-4459

CVSS Score10.0 / 10

SeverityCRITICAL

WeaknessCWE-119

CISA KEVNo

Affected1 vendor(s)

PublishedDec 21, 2005

Related CVEs (CWE-119)

Recommended Actions

→Apply vendor patches immediately
→Monitor CVE-2005-4459 in threat intel feeds
→Review IDS/IPS signatures for exploitation attempts

Data sourced from NVD (NIST), CISA KEV, and EPSS (FIRST). Analysis generated by CTIWATCH.COM. CVE data is provided under the NVD usage policy.

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