CVE-2008-4279 in Player
Summary
by MITRE
The CPU hardware emulation for 64-bit guest operating systems in VMware Workstation 6.0.x before 6.0.5 build 109488 and 5.x before 5.5.8 build 108000; Player 2.0.x before 2.0.5 build 109488 and 1.x before 1.0.8; Server 1.x before 1.0.7 build 108231; and ESX 2.5.4 through 3.5 allows authenticated guest OS users to gain additional guest OS privileges by triggering an exception that causes the virtual CPU to perform an indirect jump to a non-canonical address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/21/2019
This vulnerability exists in VMware's virtualization products and represents a critical privilege escalation flaw that affects 64-bit guest operating systems. The issue stems from improper handling of CPU hardware emulation during exception processing, specifically when the virtual CPU encounters an indirect jump to a non-canonical address. This flaw allows authenticated guest operating system users to escalate their privileges within the virtual environment, potentially gaining elevated access that could be leveraged for further attacks. The vulnerability affects multiple VMware products including Workstation, Player, Server, and ESX across several version ranges, making it particularly concerning for widespread deployment environments.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the virtual CPU's handling of exception conditions that occur during normal operation. When a guest operating system triggers an exception that results in an indirect jump to a non-canonical address, the VMware virtualization layer fails to properly validate or restrict this operation. This improper validation creates a pathway for privilege escalation where guest users can manipulate the virtual CPU state to execute code with elevated privileges. The vulnerability specifically targets the 64-bit emulation capabilities and occurs during the processing of exception handling routines, making it particularly dangerous in environments where guest operating systems are trusted but not fully secured.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it can enable attackers to bypass security controls within virtualized environments. An authenticated guest user could potentially leverage this flaw to gain root or administrator privileges within the guest operating system, which could then be used to access other resources or launch additional attacks against the host system or other virtual machines. This represents a significant concern for organizations that rely heavily on virtualization technology, as it undermines the security isolation that virtualization is designed to provide. The vulnerability could be exploited to establish persistent access, escalate privileges to gain complete control of virtual machines, or potentially move laterally within virtualized infrastructures.
Organizations should immediately update their VMware installations to versions that address this vulnerability, specifically upgrading to VMware Workstation 6.0.5, Player 2.0.5, Server 1.0.7, and ESX 3.5 or later. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit the potential impact of exploitation. Security monitoring should focus on unusual privilege escalation events or unexpected system behavior within virtualized environments. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-248, which addresses "Exception Handling and Error Recovery," and maps to ATT&CK technique T1055 for privilege escalation through kernel or system-level manipulation. The remediation process should include comprehensive testing of updated systems to ensure compatibility while addressing the security flaw.