CVE-2016-3066 in spice-gtk
Summary
by MITRE
The spice-gtk widget allows remote authenticated users to obtain information from the host clipboard.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/14/2019
The spice-gtk widget vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3066 represents a significant information disclosure flaw within virtualization desktop environments. This vulnerability affects the spice-gtk library which is commonly used in virtual machine desktop interfaces to facilitate communication between host and guest operating systems. The issue arises from insufficient input validation and access control mechanisms within the clipboard sharing functionality that enables remote authenticated users to extract sensitive data from the host system clipboard. The vulnerability specifically impacts systems where spice-gtk is integrated into virtualization platforms such as qemu-kvm and libvirt, making it particularly relevant in enterprise virtualized environments where multiple users may access shared virtual machines.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of clipboard data synchronization between the host and guest systems. When users authenticate to a virtual machine through spice-gtk interfaces, the system allows clipboard content to be shared between environments without adequate security boundaries. An attacker who has authenticated access to a guest virtual machine can exploit this flaw to read clipboard contents from the host system, potentially gaining access to sensitive information such as passwords, private keys, or other confidential data that has been copied to the clipboard. This represents a direct violation of the principle of least privilege and demonstrates a failure in maintaining proper isolation between virtualized environments.
The operational impact of CVE-2016-3066 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as it can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within virtualized environments. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gather credentials, encryption keys, or other sensitive data that may be stored in clipboard buffers, potentially enabling further compromise of the host system or other virtual machines within the same infrastructure. The vulnerability affects organizations that rely on virtual desktop infrastructure, cloud computing platforms, and remote desktop solutions where clipboard sharing is enabled, making it particularly dangerous in environments with multiple concurrent users or shared virtual resources. This issue is categorized under CWE-200 as "Information Exposure" and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1552.001 "Credentials In Files" and T1071.004 "Application Layer Protocol: DNS" when considering the broader attack surface.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2016-3066 should focus on implementing strict access controls and disabling clipboard sharing functionality where it is not essential for operations. Organizations should update their spice-gtk implementations to versions that address this vulnerability, typically through patches released by upstream maintainers or vendor security updates. Network segmentation and proper firewall rules can help limit the attack surface by restricting access to virtualization management interfaces. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that detect unusual clipboard activity patterns can provide early warning of potential exploitation attempts. Security configurations should disable clipboard sharing between host and guest systems unless absolutely required for business operations, and when clipboard sharing is necessary, it should be implemented with proper encryption and access controls to prevent unauthorized data extraction. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for outdated spice-gtk versions to ensure comprehensive protection against this and similar information disclosure vulnerabilities.