SolarWinds Virtualization Manager Privilege Escalation Vulnerability
SolarWinds · Virtualization Manager
SolarWinds Virtualization Manager (versions 6.3.1 and earlier) contains a privilege escalation flaw caused by a misconfigured sudo setup, which allows local users to elevate their privileges. An attacker needs a local account on the affected system, with no user interaction required, and can exploit it through a sudo command that exposes elevated access.
SolarWinds Virtualization Manager 6.3.1 and earlier allow local users to gain privileges by leveraging a misconfiguration of sudo, as demonstrated by "sudo cat /etc/passwd."
- Exploited
- Yes, in CISA KEV
- Reports
- 0
- Tactics
- 4/15
How an attack unfolds
Based on MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. mappings. Select a step to see the evidence.How attackers get in
What they do
Exploitation timelineDated milestones for a CVE: when it was disclosed, when exploit code became public, when exploitation was confirmed, and when threat reports named it.
First seen exploited 5 years after disclosure. Public exploit code (Exploit-DB) was available 1 day before disclosure.
- Public exploit codeExploit-DB1 day before
- Disclosedday 0
CISA KEV listing is when exploitation was confirmed, not necessarily the first attack.
MITRE ATT&CKA public catalogue of the techniques attackers use, maintained by MITRE. Patchfirst uses it to describe what attackers do with a vulnerability. techniques
2 TechniqueOne specific attacker behaviour in MITRE ATT&CK, such as T1190 “Exploit Public-Facing Application”. IDs with a dot, like T1059.004, are sub-techniques., grouped by TacticThe attacker’s goal at a stage of an attack in MITRE ATT&CK, such as Initial Access or Persistence. Each technique belongs to one or more tactics. in kill-chain order, 2 cited passages 2Initial AccessTA0001
Local user abuses sudo misconfiguration for access
local users to gain privileges by leveraging a misconfiguration of sudo
Privilege EscalationTA0004
Sudo misconfiguration yields privilege escalation
local users to gain privileges by leveraging a misconfiguration of sudo
Detection
0 rules for this CVE · 87 general rules for its techniquesRules for this CVE
0Sigma ruleAn open, vendor-neutral detection rule for log data. Security teams convert Sigma rules into searches for their own SIEM. that reference CVE-2016-3643 directly.CVE-specific rules are not available in this build. Search SigmaHQ ↗
General rules for this CVE’s techniques
These detect the technique in general, not this specific vulnerability.
Valid AccountsT107856 general rules
- Win Susp Computer Name Containing Samtheadmincriticaltest
- Account Created And Deleted Within A Close Time Framehightest
- Activity From Anonymous IP Addresshightest
- Atypical Travelhightest
- Azure AD Threat Intelligencehightest
- Azure Subscription Permission Elevation Via AuditLogshightest
- External Remote SMB Logon from Public IPhightest
- Impossible Travelhightest
Exploitation for Privilege EscalationT106831 general rules
- Exploiting CVE-2019-1388criticalstable
- Audit CVE Eventcriticaltest
- HackTool - SysmonEOP Executioncriticaltest
- InstallerFileTakeOver LPE CVE-2021-41379 File Create Eventcriticaltest
- Possible Coin Miner CPU Priority Paramcriticaltest
- Potential CVE-2021-41379 Exploitation Attemptcriticaltest
- Potential SystemNightmare Exploitation Attemptcriticaltest
- Sudo Privilege Escalation CVE-2019-14287 - Builtincriticaltest
Sigma rules © SigmaHQ, Detection Rule License 1.1; linked, not reproduced.
What security researchers reported
Not named in any threat report yetAlso mentioned in 50 community threat pulses (AlienVault OTX)
Weaker evidencePulses are indicator collections that anyone can publish. A mention is not confirmation of exploitation.
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 29, 202628 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 28, 202627 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 27, 202626 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 24, 202623 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 23, 202622 Oct 2026
- Actively_Exploited_Kev | Oct 22, 202621 Oct 2026
- 44 more on OTX