CVE-2010-2811 in Enterprise Virtualization
Summary
by MITRE
Virtual Desktop Server Manager (VDSM) in Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization (RHEV) 2.2 does not properly accept TCP connections for SSL sessions, which allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (daemon outage) via crafted SSL traffic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/31/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2010-2811 affects the Virtual Desktop Server Manager component within Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization version 2.2, representing a critical security flaw in the virtualization infrastructure management layer. This issue manifests in the improper handling of TCP connections during SSL session establishment, creating a pathway for malicious actors to disrupt service availability. The vulnerability specifically targets the SSL termination process within VDSM, which serves as the core management interface for virtual desktop environments in the RHEV ecosystem. The flaw exists at the protocol handling level where the daemon fails to correctly validate or process incoming SSL connections, leading to potential service disruption.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and connection handling mechanisms within the SSL implementation of VDSM. When remote attackers submit crafted SSL traffic patterns, the daemon processes these malformed connections in a way that causes it to crash or become unresponsive, resulting in a denial of service condition that affects the entire virtual desktop infrastructure. This represents a classic example of a resource exhaustion or improper state management vulnerability that falls under the CWE-20 category of "Improper Input Validation" and specifically aligns with CWE-362, "Concurrent Execution using Shared Resource with Improper Synchronization." The vulnerability demonstrates weaknesses in the SSL/TLS stack implementation where the system does not properly handle malformed or maliciously crafted SSL handshakes, leading to daemon instability.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption, as it compromises the availability of virtual desktop environments that organizations rely upon for business operations. When the VDSM daemon becomes unresponsive or crashes due to crafted SSL traffic, it affects the management capabilities of the entire RHEV infrastructure, potentially rendering virtual desktops inaccessible to users and preventing administrators from performing critical management tasks. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where virtual desktops are managed through centralized RHEV platforms, creating a cascading effect that can impact multiple users and business processes simultaneously. The attack vector requires only remote access to the SSL port, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited from anywhere on the network without requiring physical access or authentication credentials.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including network-level firewall rules to restrict access to the affected SSL ports, applying the vendor-provided security patches as soon as they become available, and monitoring for unusual connection patterns or service disruptions that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004, "Endpoint Denial of Service," and represents a significant concern for enterprise environments that depend on virtual desktop infrastructure for their operations. Security teams should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems to monitor for the specific patterns of SSL traffic that could trigger this vulnerability, while also ensuring that all virtualization management interfaces are properly isolated from untrusted network segments. The remediation process should include thorough testing of patched systems to ensure that the SSL handling improvements do not introduce compatibility issues with existing virtual desktop configurations or client applications.