VMware NSX manager and edge node operating system (Ubuntu) can not be modified independently to address security vulnerabilities

Products

• VMware NSX

Issue/Introduction

• Security vulnerabilities have been identified in the NSX manager and or edge nodes, specifically in the underlying operating system (Ubuntu)
• A workaround or resolution is present for the vulnerability directly via a change to Ubuntu (not via an NSX update or workaround).
• There is a desire to implement the change to the Ubuntu operating system outside of an update or recommendation from Broadcom.

Environment

• VMware NSX
• VMware NSX-T Datacenter

Cause

It is unsupported to upgrade or make changes to the Ubuntu operating system on NSX manager or edge nodes. Security vulnerabilities found on NSX manager or edge nodes must be addressed by an update or recommendation from Broadcom.

Resolution

All security advisories for VCF software can be found at Security Advisories - VMware Cloud Foundation. From this page, products can be filtered to locate advisories specific to NSX.  

Additional Information

If specific vulnerabilities are discovered (CVEs), search the knowledge base for the CVE number to determine if NSX is affected. 

If it is unclear if NSX is affected, open a case with Broadcom support. For more information, see Creating and managing Broadcom support cases.