CVE-2017-12579 in vagrant-vmware-fusion
Summary
by MITRE
An insecure suid wrapper binary in the HashiCorp Vagrant VMware Fusion plugin (aka vagrant-vmware-fusion) 4.0.24 and earlier allows a non-root user to obtain a root shell.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/21/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-12579 represents a critical privilege escalation flaw within the HashiCorp Vagrant VMware Fusion plugin ecosystem. This issue affects versions 4.0.24 and earlier of the vagrant-vmware-fusion plugin, which is commonly used to enable Vagrant virtual machines to operate with VMware Fusion hypervisor capabilities. The vulnerability manifests through an insecure suid wrapper binary that inadvertently grants non-privileged users the ability to escalate their privileges to root level access. The suid bit, when improperly implemented, allows executables to run with the permissions of the file owner rather than the user executing the program, creating a potential attack vector for unauthorized privilege elevation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from the improper handling of the suid mechanism within the plugin's wrapper binary. When a user executes commands through the vulnerable plugin, the system invokes a binary with elevated privileges that has not been properly secured against malicious input or manipulation. This flaw enables attackers to exploit the binary's execution context to gain root shell access, effectively bypassing standard user-level restrictions and system security controls. The vulnerability specifically exploits the trust relationship between the plugin and the underlying system, where the suid binary is designed to perform administrative tasks but fails to properly validate or sanitize inputs before executing privileged operations. This represents a classic case of insecure privileged program execution where the system's assumption about the binary's security boundaries has been violated.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it fundamentally compromises the security model of systems running vulnerable versions of the Vagrant VMware Fusion plugin. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code with root privileges, potentially leading to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or persistent backdoor installation. The attack surface is particularly concerning for development environments, continuous integration systems, and enterprise infrastructure where Vagrant is commonly deployed for testing and deployment automation. Organizations using vulnerable versions face the risk of unauthorized access to sensitive data, system integrity compromise, and potential lateral movement within network environments. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely or locally, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where non-privileged users may have access to systems running vulnerable plugin versions.
Security mitigations for CVE-2017-12579 should prioritize immediate version updates to the vagrant-vmware-fusion plugin, specifically upgrading to version 4.0.25 or later where the suid wrapper binary has been properly secured. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory checks to identify all systems running vulnerable plugin versions and implement mandatory patching procedures. Additional defensive measures include restricting access to the Vagrant plugin installation directories, implementing file integrity monitoring for critical system binaries, and employing privilege separation techniques to minimize the impact of potential exploitation. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit the potential attack surface, while monitoring for suspicious execution patterns related to the vulnerable plugin components. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privileges, and represents a specific instance of privilege escalation that can be categorized under ATT&CK technique T1068, which focuses on exploit for privilege escalation. The flaw demonstrates the critical importance of proper privilege management in system components and highlights the necessity of thorough security review processes for all binaries that operate with elevated privileges, particularly those implementing suid mechanisms in enterprise environments.