Attackers are exploiting VMware RCE to deliver malware (CVE-2022-22954)

CVE-2022-22954 is a server-side template injection vulnerability (CWE-94) in VMware Workspace ONE Access and VMware Identity Manager that allows remote code execution on affected appliances. It is triggered when attacker-controlled input is passed into a server-side template engine, allowing injected template directives to be evaluated and executed as code on the server. A successful attacker gains the ability to run arbitrary code on the identity appliance, and CISA notes the flaw has been used in ransomware campaigns, so compromise can serve as an initial foothold for broader enterprise intrusion. Any organization running Workspace ONE Access or Identity Manager, including deployments where the Identity Manager component is bundled into VMware Horizon environments, is potentially affected, though the source data does not specify affected version ranges. The vulnerability was added to CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on 2022-04-14 with ransomware use confirmed and a required action to apply vendor updates, and EPSS currently assigns it a 100% probability of exploitation within 30 days (100th percentile); no public PoC is known.

Do: Apply the patches published in VMware advisory VMSA-2022-0011 (April 2022) to Workspace ONE Access and Identity Manager appliances as required by the CISA KEV listing, prioritizing internet-facing instances, and restrict or remove public exposure until patched. Review appliance and web-server logs for template-injection probes and unexpected processes spawned by the identity service, and investigate any indications of compromise for follow-on ransomware or lateral-movement activity.