CVE-2014-3559 in Enterprise Virtualization
Summary
by MITRE
The oVirt storage backend in Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3.4 does not wipe memory snapshots when deleting a VM, even when wipe-after-delete (WAD) is configured for the VM s disk, which allows remote authenticated users with certain credentials to read portions of the deleted VM s memory and obtain sensitive information via an uninitialized storage volume.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2022
The vulnerability described in CVE-2014-3559 represents a critical security flaw in the oVirt storage backend implementation within Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization version 3.4. This issue specifically targets the memory management processes during virtual machine deletion operations, creating a persistent security risk that can be exploited by authenticated attackers. The flaw occurs when a virtual machine is removed from the system while having wipe-after-delete functionality configured for its storage disks, yet the memory snapshots remain accessible through the storage subsystem. This represents a fundamental failure in the secure deletion mechanism that should prevent data remanence from persisting after virtual machine disposal.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of memory snapshot cleanup during virtual machine deletion processes. When a VM is configured with wipe-after-delete functionality, the system should ensure that all memory contents associated with that virtual machine are completely erased from storage volumes before the deletion process completes. However, the oVirt storage backend fails to properly execute this memory wiping operation, leaving residual memory data accessible through uninitialized storage volumes. This behavior violates standard secure deletion practices and creates a data exposure risk that persists beyond the normal lifecycle of virtual machine operations. The vulnerability manifests as a failure to properly implement the memory sanitization procedures that should occur during the finalization phase of virtual machine removal.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on virtualized environments for sensitive data processing. Remote authenticated users with appropriate credentials can exploit this flaw to recover portions of deleted virtual machine memory, potentially accessing confidential information, credentials, or other sensitive data that was processed within the virtual environment. The attack vector is particularly concerning because it does not require privileged access beyond authentication to the virtualization management system, making it accessible to users with legitimate administrative or operational credentials. This vulnerability can lead to data leakage incidents that compromise the confidentiality of virtualized workloads and potentially expose sensitive organizational information stored within virtual machine memory.
The security implications of CVE-2014-3559 align with CWE-200, which addresses the exposure of sensitive information, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1005 for data from local system. Organizations utilizing Red Hat Enterprise Virtualization 3.4 should implement immediate mitigations including updating to patched versions of the oVirt platform, implementing additional access controls to limit who can perform virtual machine deletion operations, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access to storage volumes. The vulnerability also highlights the importance of proper memory management in virtualized environments and underscores the necessity of comprehensive secure deletion procedures that address both disk and memory components of virtual machine storage. Organizations should conduct thorough security assessments of their virtualization infrastructure to identify similar memory sanitization gaps and ensure that all storage components properly implement secure deletion protocols to prevent data remanence issues.