UNKNOWN CVSS 5.0
Published: 2011-05-09

CVE-2011-1789

vmware esx Security Advisory (CVE-2011-1789)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
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CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2011-1789 impacting vmware esx. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 5.0 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
The self-extracting installer in the vSphere Client Installer package in VMware vCenter 4.0 before Update 3 and 4.1 before Update 1, VMware ESXi 4.x before 4.1 Update 1, and VMware ESX 4.x before 4.1 Update 1 does not have a digital signature, which might make it easier for remote attackers to spoof the software distribution via a Trojan horse installer.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Network (AV:N)
Exploitable remotely across internet boundaries
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact
Availability
None (A:N)
No system availability impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product vmware / esx
Affected Versions 4.0
Weakness Enumeration CWE-310

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2011-1789 impacting vmware esx.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2011-1789.yaml
id: cve-2011-1789

info:
  name: vmware esx - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2011-1789 affecting vmware esx.
    Evaluation: The self-extracting installer in the vSphere Client Installer package in VMware vCenter 4.0 before Update 3 and 4.1 before Update 1, VMware ESXi 4.x b...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2011-1789
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N
    cvss-score: 5.0
    cve-id: CVE-2011-1789
    cwe-id: CWE-310
  tags: cve,cve-2011-1789,vmware,esx,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "esx"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2011-1789.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2011-1789
# Target: vmware esx | CVSS: 5.0 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2011-1789 (vmware esx)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against vmware esx scope (4.0).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2011-1789.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2011-1789
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install esx 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade esx 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update esx

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i esx 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i esx

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2011-1789 in vmware esx?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update vmware esx packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2011-1789?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2011-1789?

CVE-2011-1789 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 5.0 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
5.0
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2011-1789
Weakness CWE-310
Vendor vmware
Product esx
Published 2011-05-09
Vector AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:P/A:N