CVE-2008-3695 in Player
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in a certain ActiveX control in VMware Workstation 5.5.x before 5.5.8 build 108000, VMware Workstation 6.0.x before 6.0.5 build 109488, VMware Player 1.x before 1.0.8 build 108000, VMware Player 2.x before 2.0.5 build 109488, VMware ACE 1.x before 1.0.7 build 108880, VMware ACE 2.x before 2.0.5 build 109488, and VMware Server before 1.0.7 build 108231 has unknown impact and remote attack vectors, a different vulnerability than CVE-2008-3691, CVE-2008-3692, CVE-2008-3693, CVE-2008-3694, and CVE-2008-3696.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/16/2019
This vulnerability resides within an ActiveX control component of multiple VMware virtualization products including Workstation, Player, ACE, and Server across several version ranges. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability indicates a critical security flaw that could potentially be exploited remotely without specific details about the exact technical mechanism. The affected versions span across multiple product lines and major versions, suggesting a fundamental issue within the ActiveX control implementation that was not properly addressed in the patching cycles leading up to the respective build numbers. The vulnerability's classification as separate from other CVEs in the same batch indicates it represents a distinct attack surface or exploitation vector that requires specific mitigation approaches.
The technical flaw manifests in the ActiveX control's handling of input parameters or memory management within the VMware virtualization environment. ActiveX controls are typically used for extended functionality within Windows environments and often require elevated privileges to operate. When such controls contain vulnerabilities, they can provide attackers with opportunities to execute arbitrary code on target systems. The unspecified impact suggests the vulnerability could potentially allow for privilege escalation, remote code execution, or denial of service conditions that affect the stability and security of the entire virtualization platform. This type of vulnerability often relates to buffer overflows, improper input validation, or memory corruption issues that are particularly dangerous in virtualized environments where the attacker might gain access to underlying host resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple exploitation to potentially compromise entire virtualization infrastructures. Attackers could leverage this vulnerability to gain unauthorized access to virtual machines, potentially escalating privileges to execute malicious code on the host system. The remote attack vectors indicate that exploitation could occur without physical access to the target system, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where virtualization platforms are commonly exposed to external networks. The vulnerability affects multiple VMware products simultaneously, suggesting a widespread security gap that could impact organizations using various VMware solutions across their infrastructure. This type of cross-product vulnerability often indicates a fundamental architectural weakness in how VMware handles ActiveX controls across different product lines.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application to all affected VMware products, ensuring that administrators update to the specified build numbers that address this vulnerability. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be implemented to restrict access to VMware services where possible, particularly in environments where the virtualization platform is exposed to untrusted networks. Security monitoring should be enhanced to detect potential exploitation attempts through unusual network traffic patterns or system behavior that might indicate ActiveX control exploitation. The vulnerability's nature suggests that implementing application whitelisting policies could provide additional protection by restricting which ActiveX controls can be executed on affected systems. Organizations should also consider disabling ActiveX controls entirely in environments where they are not strictly required for legitimate business operations, as this would eliminate the attack surface entirely.
This vulnerability aligns with common attack patterns documented in the attack tree framework, particularly those involving client-side exploitation and privilege escalation within virtualized environments. The use of ActiveX controls in virtualization software represents a known attack vector that has been targeted in numerous security incidents, often leading to full system compromise when exploited successfully. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified but remote suggests it follows patterns similar to those described in CWE-119 (Memory Errors) or CWE-79 (Cross-site Scripting) where input validation failures can lead to arbitrary code execution. Organizations should review their security policies to ensure proper patch management procedures are in place for virtualization platforms, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of timely security updates in protecting enterprise infrastructure from known exploits. The interconnected nature of virtualization environments means that a single compromised ActiveX control could potentially affect multiple virtual machines and underlying host systems, making comprehensive mitigation approaches essential for maintaining overall security posture.