CVE-2022-22972 is a vulnerability that affects VMware products, specifically the vRealize Operations Manager. The flaw exists in the software's role-based access control (RBAC) implementation and could allow an attacker to bypass RBAC restrictions and gain unauthorized access to sensitive information or perform malicious actions. This vulnerability was assigned a CVSS score of 8.8 out of 10, which indicates a high severity level.
The vulnerability was first reported on March 16, 2022, and VMware released a patch for the affected products on April 26, 2022. However, it's worth noting that the vulnerability had already been exploited in the wild by threat actors before the patch was made available. According to reports, the exploit was used as part of a supply chain attack against SolarWinds, a company that provides IT management software to government agencies and other organizations.
The exploitation of CVE-2022-22972 highlights the importance of timely patching and vulnerability management practices. Organizations should ensure that they regularly monitor for vulnerabilities in their software and promptly apply patches when they become available to prevent exploitation by threat actors. Additionally, implementing multi-layered security measures can help mitigate the risk of successful attacks in the event that a vulnerability is exploited.