CVE-2017-0183 in Hyper-V
Summary
by MITRE
A denial of service vulnerability exists when Microsoft Hyper-V Network Switch running on a Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, or Windows Server 2016 host server fails to properly validate input from a privileged user on a guest operating system, aka "Hyper-V Denial of Service Vulnerability." This CVE ID is unique from CVE-2017-0178, CVE-2017-0179, CVE-2017-0182, CVE-2017-0184, CVE-2017-0185, and CVE-2017-0186.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/23/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-0183 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Microsoft Hyper-V Network Switch functionality, specifically affecting Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, and Windows Server 2016 environments. This flaw operates at the hypervisor level where the network switch component fails to properly validate input data originating from privileged users within guest operating systems. The vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that allow malicious or compromised guest users to craft specially formatted network packets or configuration parameters that can trigger unexpected behavior in the Hyper-V network switch module. This issue falls under the broader category of improper input validation vulnerabilities, which are classified as CWE-20 by the Common Weakness Enumeration system, representing one of the most prevalent security weaknesses in software applications. The vulnerability specifically impacts the network virtualization layer of Hyper-V, which is responsible for managing virtual network traffic between virtual machines and physical network adapters.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a privileged user within a guest operating system manipulates network configuration parameters or sends malformed network traffic that bypasses normal validation checks within the Hyper-V Network Switch. The flaw allows an attacker with guest-level privileges to cause the Hyper-V host to crash or become unresponsive, effectively creating a denial of service condition that can impact all virtual machines running on that host system. This type of attack vector represents a significant concern because it leverages the trust relationship between host and guest operating systems, where guest users are typically granted elevated privileges to perform network operations. The vulnerability can be exploited through various means including malformed network packets, invalid virtual network configuration settings, or by manipulating the network switch's internal state management. The attack requires minimal privileges since the user already possesses guest-level access, making this particularly dangerous in multi-tenant environments where guest isolation is expected. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability aligns with techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the T1499 category, which covers network denial of service attacks, and specifically targets the Hyper-V hypervisor layer.
The operational impact of CVE-2017-0183 extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the entire virtualization infrastructure of affected systems. When exploited successfully, the vulnerability can cause complete system crashes requiring manual intervention to restore services, leading to significant downtime for virtualized environments. Organizations running multiple virtual machines on affected Hyper-V hosts face cascading failures where a single compromised guest could bring down the entire host system, affecting business continuity and service availability. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Hyper-V is used extensively for server virtualization, cloud computing, and development testing scenarios. The impact is amplified because Hyper-V is widely deployed across organizations, making this vulnerability a prime target for attackers seeking to disrupt critical infrastructure operations. Recovery from such an attack typically requires system rebooting, which can result in data loss or service interruption for applications running on affected virtual machines. The vulnerability also affects the reliability of virtualized network services, potentially leading to data corruption or loss of network connectivity between virtual machines, further compounding the operational impact on affected organizations. Microsoft addressed this vulnerability through security updates that strengthened input validation mechanisms within the Hyper-V Network Switch component, requiring organizations to apply patches promptly to maintain system integrity and availability.