CVE-2010-1139 in Server
Summary
by MITRE
Format string vulnerability in vmrun in VMware VIX API 1.6.x, VMware Workstation 6.5.x before 6.5.4 build 246459, VMware Player 2.5.x before 2.5.4 build 246459, and VMware Server 2.x on Linux, and VMware Fusion 2.x before 2.0.7 build 246742, allows local users to gain privileges via format string specifiers in process metadata.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/27/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-1139 represents a critical format string vulnerability within VMware's virtualization infrastructure, specifically affecting the vmrun utility that is part of the VIX API and various VMware products. This flaw exists in multiple VMware platforms including Workstation, Player, Server, and Fusion, spanning several versions where the vulnerability was present. The vulnerability stems from improper input validation and handling of format string specifiers within the process metadata processing functionality of these virtualization tools. When the vmrun utility processes metadata from virtual machine processes, it fails to properly sanitize user-supplied input that may contain format string specifiers, creating an opportunity for malicious exploitation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability aligns with CWE-134, which specifically addresses format string vulnerabilities where format string arguments are constructed from user-controlled data. The flaw allows local attackers to manipulate the format string processing logic within the vmrun utility, potentially leading to privilege escalation. The vulnerability occurs because the application does not properly validate or escape format specifiers that might be present in process metadata, enabling attackers to inject malicious format specifiers that can cause the application to read from or write to arbitrary memory locations. This type of vulnerability typically enables attackers to execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the process running vmrun, which often operates with elevated permissions due to its role in managing virtual machines.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is significant as it affects multiple VMware products across different platforms and versions, creating a widespread attack surface for local privilege escalation. Attackers who gain access to a system running vulnerable VMware software can exploit this weakness to elevate their privileges from standard user level to administrative or root level access. The vulnerability is particularly dangerous because vmrun is often used in automated environments and scripts where it may run with elevated privileges, making the potential impact even greater. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation techniques documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the privilege escalation tactics, specifically targeting local privilege escalation through software exploitation. The vulnerability affects both Windows and Linux platforms where VMware products are deployed, making it a cross-platform threat that can impact enterprise environments using VMware virtualization solutions.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2010-1139 should focus on immediate patching of all affected VMware products to the latest versions that contain the fix for this format string vulnerability. Organizations should ensure that all VMware Workstation 6.5.x versions prior to 6.5.4 build 246459, VMware Player 2.5.x versions prior to 2.5.4 build 246459, VMware Server 2.x on Linux, and VMware Fusion 2.x versions prior to 2.0.7 build 246742 are updated. System administrators should also implement additional security controls such as restricting access to vmrun utility, implementing least privilege principles for virtualization management, and monitoring for suspicious process metadata usage. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit local system access, as this vulnerability specifically targets local privilege escalation scenarios. The fix implemented by VMware addresses the core issue by properly validating and sanitizing format string arguments before processing, preventing the injection of malicious format specifiers that could lead to memory corruption and privilege escalation. Organizations should also consider implementing security monitoring solutions that can detect unusual patterns in virtual machine process metadata handling that might indicate exploitation attempts.