CVE-2014-6595 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component in Oracle Virtualization VirtualBox before 4.3.20 allows local users to affect integrity and availability via vectors related to VMSVGA virtual graphics device, a different vulnerability than CVE-2014-6588, CVE-2014-6589, CVE-2014-6590, and CVE-2015-0427.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/05/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6595 affects Oracle VM VirtualBox versions prior to 4.3.20 and specifically targets the VMSVGA virtual graphics device component. This issue represents a critical security flaw that enables local attackers to compromise both data integrity and system availability within virtualized environments. The vulnerability resides within the graphics virtualization layer that handles display output for virtual machines, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially allow attackers to manipulate graphical data or disrupt system operations. Unlike other related vulnerabilities such as CVE-2014-6588 through CVE-2015-0427, this flaw manifests through distinct attack vectors specifically tied to the VMSVGA device implementation.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and memory handling within the VMSVGA virtual graphics device driver. When processing graphical commands or data streams, the virtual device fails to properly validate or sanitize incoming information, creating opportunities for malicious manipulation of the graphics subsystem. This weakness can be exploited by local users who have access to the virtual machine environment to inject malformed graphics data that may cause the virtual graphics device to behave unpredictably. The flaw can potentially lead to arbitrary code execution within the virtualization layer or cause denial of service conditions that render the virtual machine graphics functionality unusable.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on VirtualBox for virtualization deployments. Local attackers with access to virtual machine environments can exploit this weakness to compromise the integrity of graphical data, potentially leading to information disclosure or manipulation of virtual display outputs. The availability impact means that attackers can cause virtual machines to crash or become unresponsive, disrupting business operations and potentially leading to data loss. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments where local access to one virtual machine might be leveraged to affect other virtual machines sharing the same physical host.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under the techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses weaknesses in memory management and buffer overflows, and CWE-20 which covers input validation issues. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including upgrading to VirtualBox version 4.3.20 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the VMSVGA device vulnerabilities. Additionally, system administrators should review access controls to limit local user privileges within virtualized environments and consider network segmentation to reduce the attack surface. Regular vulnerability assessments and security monitoring should be conducted to identify potential exploitation attempts and ensure that all virtualization components remain up-to-date with the latest security patches.