CVE-2009-0199 in Player
Summary
by MITRE
Heap-based buffer overflow in the VMnc media codec in vmnc.dll in VMware Movie Decoder before 6.5.3 build 185404, VMware Workstation 6.5.x before 6.5.3 build 185404, VMware Player 2.5.x before 2.5.3 build 185404, and VMware ACE 2.5.x before 2.5.3 build 185404 on Windows might allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a video file with crafted dimensions (aka framebuffer parameters).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/22/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-0199 represents a critical heap-based buffer overflow within VMware's VMnc media codec component that affects multiple VMware products including Workstation, Player, and ACE. This flaw exists in the vmnc.dll library which handles video decoding operations, specifically when processing video files with crafted dimensions that manipulate framebuffer parameters. The vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory management within the media decoding pipeline, creating a condition where attacker-controlled data can overwrite adjacent memory locations in the heap. The affected versions include VMware Workstation 6.5.x prior to build 185404, VMware Player 2.5.x prior to build 185404, and VMware ACE 2.5.x prior to build 185404, all running on Windows platforms. The technical implementation involves the VMnc media codec failing to properly validate the dimensions and framebuffer parameters contained within video files, allowing malicious input to trigger memory corruption that can be exploited to execute arbitrary code.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe as it provides remote attackers with the ability to achieve arbitrary code execution on vulnerable systems without requiring authentication or user interaction. Attackers can craft malicious video files that, when processed by the vulnerable VMware components, will trigger the buffer overflow condition in the heap memory space. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-121 Heap-based Buffer Overflow, which is classified as a critical weakness in memory safety and represents a common vector for privilege escalation and system compromise. The exploitation mechanism relies on manipulating video file metadata to cause the decoder to allocate insufficient memory for framebuffer parameters, leading to overflow conditions that can be leveraged to overwrite critical memory structures and potentially redirect execution flow. The vulnerability's remote exploitability makes it particularly dangerous as it can be triggered through web-based attacks or file sharing scenarios without requiring physical access to target systems.
The attack surface for this vulnerability extends across all VMware virtualization products that utilize the affected VMnc media codec, creating widespread potential impact across enterprise and consumer environments. Security researchers have documented similar patterns in VMware's media handling components where buffer overflows in video decoders have been exploited for privilege escalation and code execution attacks. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1068 for exploit for privilege escalation, as successful exploitation would allow attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the virtual machine process. Organizations running vulnerable VMware installations face significant risk of compromise, particularly in environments where users might encounter malicious video content through email attachments, web browsing, or file sharing systems. The vulnerability's exploitation requires minimal user interaction beyond opening a malicious video file, making it particularly dangerous in social engineering scenarios. Mitigation efforts should focus on immediate patch deployment for all affected VMware products, along with network-based controls to prevent access to potentially malicious video content and enhanced monitoring for suspicious virtual machine activity.
The remediation strategy involves applying the official VMware patches released for builds 185404 and later, which address the buffer overflow condition in the VMnc media codec through proper input validation and memory allocation controls. Security administrators should prioritize patch management across all affected VMware installations and consider implementing network segmentation to limit exposure to potentially malicious content. Additional defensive measures include disabling unnecessary media codec support, implementing content filtering for video files, and maintaining comprehensive monitoring for suspicious process execution patterns. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of validating input data in multimedia processing components and demonstrates how seemingly benign file format handling can create severe security risks in virtualization environments. Organizations should also conduct security assessments to identify other potential buffer overflow conditions in their virtualization infrastructure and implement robust memory safety practices throughout their software development lifecycle to prevent similar vulnerabilities from emerging in future releases.