CVE-2005-3618 in ESX Server
Summary
by MITRE
Cross-site request forgery (CSRF) vulnerability in the management interface for VMware ESX Server 2.0.x before 2.0.2 patch 1, 2.1.x before 2.1.3 patch 1, and 2.x before 2.5.3 patch 2 allows allows remote attackers to perform unauthorized actions as the administrator via URLs, as demonstrated using the setUsr operation to change a password. NOTE: this issue can be leveraged with CVE-2005-3619 to automatically perform the attacks.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/13/2021
The CVE-2005-3618 vulnerability represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that affected VMware ESX Server versions 2.0.x through 2.5.3, specifically before their respective patch releases. This vulnerability resides within the management interface of the hypervisor platform, creating a significant security risk for virtualized environments. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute unauthorized administrative actions by crafting malicious URLs that, when visited by an authenticated administrator, automatically perform operations on the system without the user's knowledge or consent.
The technical implementation of this CSRF vulnerability stems from the absence of proper anti-forgery tokens or validation mechanisms in the management interface forms and URL-based operations. When an administrator visits a malicious website containing crafted links or embedded scripts, the browser automatically submits requests to the vulnerable ESX Server management interface. The setUsr operation demonstrated in the exploit allows attackers to change user passwords, effectively granting them administrative control over the virtual infrastructure. This particular operation is especially dangerous because it directly impacts user authentication and access control within the system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple password changes, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity of the management interface and the entire virtualized environment. An attacker who successfully exploits this vulnerability can perform any administrative operation available through the management interface, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or service disruption. The vulnerability's exploitation is particularly concerning because it requires no authentication from the attacker's perspective once the administrator visits the malicious page, making it a stealthy attack vector that can persist undetected for extended periods.
The severity of this vulnerability is amplified when combined with CVE-2005-3619, which demonstrates how multiple vulnerabilities can be chained together to create more effective attack scenarios. This chaining capability represents a common pattern in advanced persistent threats where attackers leverage multiple weaknesses to achieve their objectives. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-352, which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery weaknesses in web applications, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1078.004 for valid accounts and T1566 for phishing attacks that could be used to deliver the malicious payloads. Organizations running affected VMware ESX Server versions faced significant risk of unauthorized access and potential complete compromise of their virtual infrastructure, making the patching process critical for maintaining security posture.
The remediation for this vulnerability required immediate installation of the appropriate patches for each affected version series, specifically patch 1 for 2.0.x, patch 1 for 2.1.x, and patch 2 for 2.x versions. VMware's security advisory emphasized that administrators should not only apply these patches but also review their network configurations to limit access to the management interface, implement additional authentication controls, and monitor for suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlighted the importance of proper input validation and anti-forgery mechanisms in web-based management interfaces, particularly in critical infrastructure systems where unauthorized access could have severe operational consequences.