Critical VMware vCenter RCE flaw exploited for reverse SSH access

A recently patched critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-59310) in VMware vCenter Syslog Server is being exploited in an active campaign to deploy a reverse SSH tool for persistence and remote access. Compromises have been identified at 361 IP addresses across 47 countries, more than half located in Germany, the U.S., Turkey, Iran, and France. Broadcom disclosed CVE-2026-59310 on July 29 and described it as a critical directory traversal vulnerability in the vCenter Syslog server that  could be exploited by an unauthenticated attacker with network access to execute arbitrary code. The vendor provides no workarounds or mitigations and urges system administrators to apply the emergency update and consult the FAQ post for additional information. The following vCenter releases address the security issue: VMware vCenter is a centralized management software for controlling, monitoring, and configuring an organization’s VMware virtual infrastructure, including virtual machines, ESXi servers, configurations, and access permissions. The product is a frequent target for its broad control over multiple critical systems. Attackers can use this access for data theft and operational disruptions. According to digital forensics and incident response (DFIR) company QUIRSO, compromised systems started to connect to attacker-controlled infrastructure on August 3, just five days after Broadcom disclosed the flaw and released the emergency patch. The campaign expanded quickly, with 151 new victim IP ...