CVE-2006-0488 in Windows
Summary
by MITRE
The VDM (Virtual DOS Machine) emulation environment for MS-DOS applications in Windows 2000, Windows XP SP2, and Windows Server 2003 allows local users to read the first megabyte of memory and possibly obtain sensitive information, as demonstrated by dumper.asm.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/07/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2006-0488 resides within the Virtual DOS Machine emulation subsystem of Microsoft Windows operating systems including Windows 2000, Windows XP Service Pack 2, and Windows Server 2003. This flaw exists in the VDM environment that enables legacy MS-DOS applications to run within modern Windows operating systems through virtualized execution environments. The vulnerability represents a critical information disclosure issue that stems from inadequate memory protection mechanisms within the virtualized execution context, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive memory regions that should remain protected from user-level applications.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the memory management subsystem of the Windows VDM component, specifically targeting the first megabyte of virtual memory space. Attackers can leverage this weakness through specially crafted MS-DOS applications such as the demonstrated dumper.asm utility, which can access memory locations that normally require kernel-level privileges or are otherwise protected from user-mode access. This memory disclosure capability arises from insufficient validation of memory access requests within the VDM emulation layer, where the system fails to properly enforce memory boundaries between virtualized applications and the underlying operating system kernel.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it provides attackers with access to potentially sensitive data that may include system memory contents, application data, or even kernel structures. The ability to read the first megabyte of memory represents a significant security risk since this region often contains critical system information including process control blocks, memory management data structures, and potentially sensitive application data. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-200, which describes improper exposure of sensitive information, and represents a classic case of privilege escalation through memory access control bypass.
Security implications of CVE-2006-0488 are particularly concerning when considering the ATT&CK framework's reconnaissance and credential access phases, as this vulnerability enables adversaries to gather intelligence about system memory layout and potentially extract sensitive information that could be used in subsequent attacks. The vulnerability operates at the system level rather than requiring elevated privileges, making it particularly dangerous as it allows local users to access memory regions that should remain protected. This characteristic places the vulnerability within ATT&CK technique T1003, which covers OS credential dumping, and T1082, which involves system information discovery.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability primarily involve applying Microsoft security patches released as part of the Windows update cycle, specifically targeting the VDM emulation subsystem. System administrators should ensure all affected Windows systems receive the appropriate security updates, as the vulnerability represents a fundamental flaw in the memory management implementation. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing application whitelisting policies to prevent execution of potentially malicious MS-DOS applications that could exploit this vulnerability. Network segmentation and privilege separation practices can also help limit the potential impact of exploitation, though the vulnerability's nature as a local information disclosure means that traditional network-based mitigations provide limited protection. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper memory isolation in virtualized execution environments and highlights the need for comprehensive security testing of emulation subsystems that bridge legacy application compatibility with modern security models.