How severe is CVE-2016-5330?

CVE-2016-5330 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.

Is CVE-2016-5330 being actively exploited?

It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 18% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.

What products are affected by CVE-2016-5330?

CVE-2016-5330 primarily affects Vmware Workstation Player. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.

How do I fix CVE-2016-5330?

Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.

When was CVE-2016-5330 published?

CVE-2016-5330 was published on 2016-08-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

CVE-2016-5330

CVE-2016-5330 is a high-severity vulnerability in Vmware Workstation Player with a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score of 18% places it in the 97th percentile, indicating an elevated likelihood of exploitation. The underlying weakness is classified as CWE-426.

Key facts

Severity: High (CVSS 3.x base score 7.8)
CVSS v2: 4.4
EPSS exploit prediction: 18% (97th percentile)
Actively exploited: Not listed in CISA KEV
Weakness: CWE-426
Affected product: Vmware Workstation Player
Published: 2016-08-08
Last modified: 2026-06-17

Description

Untrusted search path vulnerability in the HGFS (aka Shared Folders) feature in VMware Tools 10.0.5 in VMware ESXi 5.0 through 6.0, VMware Workstation Pro 12.1.x before 12.1.1, VMware Workstation Player 12.1.x before 12.1.1, and VMware Fusion 8.1.x before 8.1.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory.

Frequently asked questions

What is CVE-2016-5330?: Untrusted search path vulnerability in the HGFS (aka Shared Folders) feature in VMware Tools 10.0.5 in VMware ESXi 5.0 through 6.0, VMware Workstation Pro 12.1.x before 12.1.1, VMware Workstation Player 12.1.x before 12.1.1, and VMware Fusion 8.1.x before 8.1.1 allows local users to gain privileges via a Trojan horse DLL in the current working directory.
How severe is CVE-2016-5330?: CVE-2016-5330 has a CVSS 3.x base score of 7.8, rated high severity. It is exploitable over local access with low attack complexity, requires no privileges and user interaction. Impact on confidentiality is high, integrity high, and availability high.
Is CVE-2016-5330 being actively exploited?: It is not currently listed in CISA's KEV catalog. Its EPSS exploit-prediction score is 18% (97th percentile), an estimate of the probability of exploitation in the next 30 days.
What products are affected by CVE-2016-5330?: CVE-2016-5330 primarily affects Vmware Workstation Player. In total, 5 product configurations (CPEs) are listed as vulnerable; see the affected-products list for the exact versions.
How do I fix CVE-2016-5330?: Review the linked vendor and NVD advisories for patched versions and mitigations, then upgrade or apply the recommended workaround. Given its high severity, prioritise patching exposed systems.
When was CVE-2016-5330 published?: CVE-2016-5330 was published on 2016-08-08 and last updated on 2026-06-17.

References

Affected products (5)

cpe:2.3:a:vmware:workstation_player:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:workstation_pro:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:o:vmware:esxi:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:fusion:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
cpe:2.3:a:vmware:tools:*:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

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