CVE-2011-3868 in Player
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in VMware Workstation 7.x before 7.1.5, VMware Player 3.x before 3.1.5, VMware Fusion 3.1.x before 3.1.3, and VMware AMS allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted UDF filesystem in an ISO image.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3868 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw affecting multiple VMware virtualization products including Workstation 7.x before 7.1.5, Player 3.x before 3.1.5, Fusion 3.1.x before 3.1.3, and VMware AMS. This security weakness stems from inadequate input validation within the Universal Disk Format (UDF) filesystem handling mechanism when processing ISO image files. The flaw enables remote attackers to execute arbitrary code on affected systems by crafting malicious UDF filesystem structures within ISO images, exploiting a classic buffer overflow condition that occurs during file system parsing operations.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability resides in the insufficient bounds checking mechanisms within VMware's UDF parser implementation. When the virtualization software processes an ISO image containing a specially crafted UDF filesystem, the parser fails to properly validate the size and structure of filesystem elements, leading to memory corruption through buffer overflows. This particular vulnerability maps to CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter. The buffer overflow occurs during the parsing of UDF file system structures, specifically when handling extended attribute records and file allocation tables, where the software attempts to write data beyond the allocated buffer boundaries.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends across multiple virtualization platforms and creates significant security risks for organizations utilizing affected VMware products. Remote attackers can leverage this flaw to gain unauthorized code execution privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise, privilege escalation, and data exfiltration. The vulnerability affects both desktop and server virtualization environments, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise infrastructure where virtual machines often run with elevated privileges. Attackers can exploit this through various attack vectors including web-based delivery of malicious ISO files, email attachments, or compromised software distribution channels, making the attack surface quite broad.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3868 should prioritize immediate patching of all affected VMware products to version 7.1.5 or later for Workstation, 3.1.5 or later for Player, and 3.1.3 or later for Fusion. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potentially malicious ISO files, while also deploying network-based intrusion detection systems to monitor for suspicious UDF filesystem patterns. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary virtualization features, implementing strict file validation policies for ISO image downloads, and conducting regular security assessments of virtualization environments. Security teams should also consider implementing endpoint protection solutions with behavioral monitoring capabilities to detect anomalous code execution patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in virtualization software and underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of file system parsers in virtualization platforms.