CVE-2026-59310 in vCenter
Summary
by MITRE • 07/30/2026
VMware vCenter contains a directory traversal vulnerability in the Syslog server. A malicious actor with network access to vCenter may exploit this issue to execute arbitrary code.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/30/2026
This vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw within VMware vCenter's Syslog server component that exposes organizations to remote code execution risks. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and path manipulation checks in the syslog server implementation, allowing attackers to traverse file system directories through crafted malicious requests. When exploited, this weakness enables unauthorized users with network access to vCenter to gain arbitrary code execution privileges on the affected system.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with common weakness enumerations such as CWE-22 Directory Traversal and CWE-74 Generation of Error Message Containing Sensitive Information, where improper validation of user-supplied input leads to unauthorized file system access. Attackers can leverage this flaw by constructing malicious syslog messages or API calls that manipulate path resolution mechanisms, potentially allowing them to read sensitive files, execute arbitrary commands, or even escalate privileges within the vCenter environment.
From an operational impact perspective, successful exploitation of this vulnerability compromises the integrity and confidentiality of VMware vCenter infrastructure, which serves as the central management point for virtualized environments. Organizations may face severe consequences including unauthorized access to virtual machine configurations, data exfiltration, service disruption, and potential lateral movement within the network. The vulnerability affects the core management capabilities of VMware's virtualization platform, making it particularly dangerous for enterprises that rely heavily on vCenter for their virtual infrastructure management.
Security mitigations for this vulnerability should include immediate patching of affected vCenter installations through official VMware security updates, network segmentation to limit access to vCenter servers, and implementation of strict firewall rules restricting syslog server access. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive network monitoring to detect suspicious syslog traffic patterns and implement principle of least privilege controls for vCenter access. Additionally, security teams should review and validate the configuration of syslog server components to ensure proper input validation and path resolution mechanisms are in place. The vulnerability's classification under MITRE ATT&CK framework would fall under techniques such as T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter and T1210 Exploitation of Remote Services, highlighting the need for both preventive and detective security controls.