While tempting for a home lab, using unauthorized licenses—even those found on professional platforms like GitHub—can lead to severe consequences: VMware license model by Broadcom - Thomas-Krenn-Wiki-en

These keys are frequently blocked or invalidated in future updates, and their "tested" status can change rapidly. Why Using GitHub Keys is Risky

Many public GitHub repositories and Gists offer "collections" of license keys for VMware products like ESXi 8 and vCenter 8.

Users often post alphanumeric 25-character strings labeled as "tested" or "working".