CVE-2012-1666: Untrusted search path vulnerability in VMware Tools in VMware Workstation before 8.0.4, VMware Player before 4

Q: How do I fix CVE-2012-1666?

workstation: upgrade to newer than 8.0.3; player: upgrade to newer than 4.0.3; fusion: upgrade to newer than 4.1.1. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Q: Is CVE-2012-1666 being exploited?

CVE-2012-1666 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

Q: What does CVE-2012-1666 affect?

CVE-2012-1666 affects workstation, player, fusion. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.9). Untrusted search path vulnerability in VMware Tools in VMware Workstation before 8.0.4, VMware Player before 4.0.4, VMware Fusion before 4.1.2, VMware View before 5.1, and VMware ESX 4.1 before U3 and 5.0 before P03 allows local users to ga

Q: How urgent is CVE-2012-1666?

Priority 43/100. Public exploit reference

This month

MEDIUM 6.9UPGRADEUPGRADEUPGRADE

CVE-2012-1666 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.9) affecting workstation, player, fusion. Below: why it ranks where it does, which versions are affected, what to do, and the exact commands.

Untrusted search path vulnerability in VMware Tools in VMware Workstation before 8.0.4, VMware Player before 4.0.4, VMware Fusion before 4.1.2, VMware View before 5.1, and VMware ESX 4.1 before U3 and 5.0 before P03 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse tpfc.dll file in the current working directory.

Why this priority

Public exploit reference

A fixed release or distro patch exists.

Risk facts

CVSS score	6.9 (Medium)
EPSS exploit chance	0.8% (top 44%)
CISA exploited list	No
Published	2012-09-08
Last modified	2026-06-16

Publisher (CNA): MITRE · Vendor: vmware

Last updated 2026-06-16 · Sources: CVE Program, NVD, CISA KEV, EPSS and vendor advisories · How we score

Am I affected?

Timeline

2012-09-08 10:28 UTCPublished CVE record published
2026-06-16 23:40 UTCUpdated Record last modified

vmware workstation UPGRADE

Affected: <= 8.0.3 · 8.0 · 8.0.0.18997 · 8.0.1 · 8.0.1.27038 · 8.0.2

Fixed in: newer than 8.0.3

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy workstation || rpm -q workstation || workstation --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 8.0.3 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade workstation

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade workstation

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

vmware player UPGRADE

Affected: <= 4.0.3 · 4.0 · 4.0.0.18997 · 4.0.1 · 4.0.2

Fixed in: newer than 4.0.3

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy player || rpm -q player || player --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 4.0.3 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade player

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade player

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

vmware fusion UPGRADE

Affected: <= 4.1.1 · 4.0 · 4.0.1 · 4.0.2 · 4.1

Fixed in: newer than 4.1.1

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy fusion || rpm -q fusion || fusion --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 4.1.1 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade fusion

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade fusion

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

vmware view UPGRADE

Affected: <= 5.0 · 4.6.0

Fixed in: newer than 5.0

Safe to downgrade to: no unaffected older release

1. Check installed version

apt-cache policy view || rpm -q view || view --version

2. UPGRADE to newer than 5.0 (Debian / Ubuntu)

sudo apt update && sudo apt install --only-upgrade view

2. UPGRADE (RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora)

sudo dnf upgrade view

Note

Distros often backport fixes without changing the version number. Confirm with the distro advisory or changelog.

vmware esx MITIGATE

Affected: 4.1 · 5.0

Fixed in: no fixed release known

Safe to downgrade to: a release before 4.1

Check your OS release

cat /etc/os-release; uname -r

Debian / Ubuntu

sudo apt update && sudo apt full-upgrade

RHEL / Amazon Linux / Fedora

sudo dnf upgrade --refresh

Windows

Install the latest cumulative update from Windows Update

If no patch exists yet

OS downgrades are not safe. Apply the vendor mitigation from the advisory and restrict exposure.

Public exploits and detection

Public code exists for this CVE. Treat unpatched systems as at risk, and only run PoCs in a lab.

Exploit-DB: ThinPrint - 'tpfc.dll' Insecure Library Loading Arbitrary Code Execution

Verify at the official source NVD · CVE Program · Report a problem with this page
Scores and fixes here are computed automatically from those and other public sources. Confirm with the vendor advisory before changing production systems.

Quick answers

How do I fix CVE-2012-1666?

workstation: upgrade to newer than 8.0.3; player: upgrade to newer than 4.0.3; fusion: upgrade to newer than 4.1.1. Exact commands for each OS are on this page.

Is CVE-2012-1666 being exploited?

CVE-2012-1666 is not on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities list at the time of the last update. Check again, as this can change.

What does CVE-2012-1666 affect?

CVE-2012-1666 affects workstation, player, fusion. Severity is medium (CVSS 6.9). Untrusted search path vulnerability in VMware Tools in VMware Workstation before 8.0.4, VMware Player before 4.0.4, VMware Fusion before 4.1.2, VMware View before 5.1, and VMware ESX 4.1 before U3 and 5.0 before P03 allows local users to ga

How urgent is CVE-2012-1666?

Priority 43/100. Public exploit reference

Software pages

VMware vulnerabilities

Related CVEs

CVE-2025-22226 HIGH 7.1 EXPLOITED MITIGATE MITIGATE VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion Information Disclosure Vulnerability
CVE-2025-22224 CRITICAL 9.3 EXPLOITED MITIGATE MITIGATE VMware ESXi and Workstation TOCTOU Race Condition Vulnerability
CVE-2024-22273 HIGH 8.1 UPGRADE UPGRADE The storage controllers on VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion have out-of-bounds read/write vulnerability. A
CVE-2024-22270 HIGH 7.1 UPGRADE UPGRADE VMware Workstation and Fusion contain an information disclosure vulnerability in the Host Guest File Sharing (
CVE-2024-22269 HIGH 7.1 UPGRADE UPGRADE VMware Workstation and Fusion contain an information disclosure vulnerability in the vbluetooth device. A mali

References

← Back to latest CVEs