CVE-2016-5613 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component before 5.0.28 and 5.1.x before 5.1.8 in Oracle Virtualization allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to Core, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-5608.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/26/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-5613 represents a critical availability threat within Oracle VM VirtualBox virtualization software. This issue affects versions prior to 5.0.28 and 5.1.8, specifically targeting the Core component of the virtualization platform. The vulnerability falls under the category of local privilege escalation attacks that can compromise system availability, making it particularly dangerous in environments where virtual machines are extensively used for business operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from improper handling of certain core components within VirtualBox's architecture, creating potential for denial of service conditions that can render virtual machines unavailable or cause system crashes. The flaw operates at the kernel level of the virtualization stack, allowing local attackers with access to the host system to exploit memory management or process handling mechanisms. This type of vulnerability typically involves buffer overflows, memory corruption, or race conditions that can be leveraged to disrupt normal system operations.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risk for organizations relying on VirtualBox for their virtualization infrastructure. Local users with limited system access can potentially cause widespread disruption by triggering availability issues across multiple virtual machines. The attack surface is particularly concerning because it requires minimal privileges to exploit, making it accessible to users who may not have administrative rights but still maintain access to the host system. This vulnerability can result in service interruptions, data loss, and potential business continuity impacts when virtualized applications or services become unavailable.
Security professionals should note that this vulnerability shares similarities with other virtualization-related threats but operates through distinct exploitation vectors compared to CVE-2016-5608, which helps in developing targeted detection mechanisms. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses weaknesses in memory management and improper handling of memory-related operations. From an attack framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to ATT&CK technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks and system disruption methods. Organizations should prioritize patch management processes to ensure all VirtualBox installations are updated to versions 5.0.28 or 5.1.8, as these releases contain the necessary fixes to address the core component issues that enable this availability compromise. Additionally, implementing network segmentation and access controls can help limit potential exploitation by restricting local user access to critical virtualization infrastructure components.