Had an Windows 11 Pro VM running in VMware Workstation Pro version 17.5.0 on Kubuntu 22.04.3 that would periodic freezes for about 20 to 120 seconds.

Power down the VM and add to the vmx:
Edit the vmx file of the guest
isolation.tools.unity.disable = “TRUE”

Thx to adamitj

Source: VMware forum on how to disable Unity feature on Fusion/Workstation

KDE screen locker is not trying to run howdy as root, so changing permission could solve the issue.
sudo chmod -R 755 /usr/lib/security/howdy