How to remediate – VMware Tools Detection (macOS)

Contents

1. Introduction

VMware Tools Detection (macOS) identifies instances where VMware Tools, a virtual machine management application, is installed on a macOS system. This indicates the presence of a virtualisation environment which may introduce additional attack surface. Successful exploitation could lead to information disclosure or denial of service. Confidentiality, integrity and availability may be impacted.

2. Technical Explanation

VMware Tools provides enhanced performance for guest operating systems within a virtual machine. Its installation itself is not a vulnerability but represents an area requiring attention due to the potential for associated risks. An attacker could exploit vulnerabilities in VMware Tools or use it as a pivot point to compromise the host system. Preconditions include having access to the macOS host and potentially, valid credentials.

Root cause: The presence of VMware Tools indicates a virtualised environment which may have additional attack surface.
Exploit mechanism: An attacker could exploit known vulnerabilities within VMware Tools itself or use it as an entry point to compromise the underlying macOS system.
Scope: Affected platforms are macOS and Mac OS X operating systems running VMware software.

3. Detection and Assessment

Confirming whether a system is vulnerable involves checking for the presence of VMware Tools. A quick check can identify its installation, while thorough methods involve examining installed packages.

Quick checks: Run pkgutil --pkgs | grep com.vmware to list installed packages and look for entries related to VMware Tools.
Scanning: Nessus plugin ID 7d54c30a can identify the presence of VMware Tools. This is an example only.
Logs and evidence: Check system logs for installation or update events related to VMware Tools, though specific log files vary depending on the version installed.

pkgutil --pkgs | grep com.vmware

4. Solution / Remediation Steps

The following steps outline how to address the detection of VMware Tools. These steps focus on understanding and managing the environment rather than direct removal, as it is often a required component.

4.1 Preparation

Dependencies: Ensure you understand the impact of removing or modifying VMware Tools if it’s essential for running virtual machines. A roll back plan involves restoring from the previous snapshot.
Change window: Coordinate with relevant teams and obtain approval if necessary, especially in production environments.

4.2 Implementation

Step 1: Document the purpose of VMware Tools on the system.
Step 2: Review the installed version of VMware Tools using vmware-toolbox -v.
Step 3: Ensure the version is up to date by checking for available updates through the VMware website or support channels.

4.3 Config or Code Example

There are no specific configuration changes required, but understanding the installed version is important.

Before

vmware-toolbox -v (Output shows an older version)

After

vmware-toolbox -v (Output shows the latest available version)

4.4 Security Practices Relevant to This Vulnerability

Practices that address this vulnerability type include maintaining a current patch cadence and least privilege.

Practice 1: Patch management ensures VMware Tools is updated with the latest security fixes, reducing potential vulnerabilities.
Practice 2: Least privilege limits the impact if VMware Tools or its associated components are compromised.

4.5 Automation (Optional)

Automation scripts for updating VMware Tools can be created using tools like Ansible or Chef, but these depend on your environment.

# Example Ansible task to check and update VMware Tools (example only - requires specific modules and configuration)

5. Verification / Validation

Confirming the fix involves verifying that VMware Tools is up-to-date. Re-run the earlier detection method to ensure it still reports the presence of the application, but with an updated version.

Post-fix check: Run vmware-toolbox -v and confirm the output shows the latest available version number.
Re-test: Re-run pkgutil --pkgs | grep com.vmware to verify VMware Tools is still installed, but with an updated package identifier if applicable.
Monitoring: Monitor system logs for any errors or unexpected behaviour related to VMware Tools following the update.

vmware-toolbox -v (Output shows latest version)

6. Preventive Measures and Monitoring

Preventive measures include regular security baselines and incorporating checks into CI/CD pipelines.

Baselines: Update your macOS security baseline to include a requirement for keeping VMware Tools up-to-date.
Pipelines: Add checks in your CI/CD pipeline to verify the installed version of VMware Tools during deployment.
Asset and patch process: Implement a regular patch review cycle that includes VMware Tools, aligned with the risk profile of virtualised systems.

7. Risks, Side Effects, and Roll Back

Risk or side effect 1: Updates may cause temporary incompatibility with specific virtual machine configurations. Mitigation is to test updates in a non-production environment first.

8. References and Resources

The following resources provide information about VMware Tools.

Vendor advisory or bulletin: https://kb.vmware.com/s/article/340
NVD or CVE entry: http://www.nessus.org/u?7d54c30a

Updated on October 26, 2025

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