CVE-2017-4936 in Workstation
Summary
by MITRE
VMware Workstation (12.x before 12.5.8) and Horizon View Client for Windows (4.x before 4.6.1) contain an out-of-bounds read vulnerability in JPEG2000 parser in the TPView.dll. On Workstation, this may allow a guest to execute code or perform a Denial of Service on the Windows OS that runs Workstation. In the case of a Horizon View Client, this may allow a View desktop to execute code or perform a Denial of Service on the Windows OS that runs the Horizon View Client.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/24/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-4936 represents a critical out-of-bounds read flaw within the JPEG2000 parser implementation in VMware's TPView.dll component. This vulnerability affects multiple VMware products including VMware Workstation version 12.x prior to 12.5.8 and Horizon View Client for Windows version 4.x prior to 4.6.1. The flaw resides in how the TPView.dll library processes JPEG2000 image format data, specifically during the parsing of malformed or specially crafted JPEG2000 files that could be embedded within virtual desktop environments or shared resources.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and boundary checking within the JPEG2000 parser implementation. When the TPView.dll component encounters malformed JPEG2000 data structures, it fails to properly validate array bounds before accessing memory locations, leading to an out-of-bounds read condition. This type of vulnerability maps directly to CWE-125, which describes out-of-bounds read conditions that can result in information disclosure, system instability, or potentially arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability's classification aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.007 for command and scripting interpreter and T1499.004 for network disruption, as the flaw can enable both denial of service and code execution capabilities.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system instability to potentially enable privilege escalation and remote code execution within virtualized environments. In VMware Workstation deployments, a malicious guest operating system could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the host Windows operating system, effectively breaking the isolation boundary between guest and host. For Horizon View Client implementations, the vulnerability allows an attacker controlling a View desktop environment to execute code on the Windows client systems, potentially compromising the entire desktop virtualization infrastructure. Both scenarios present significant security implications as they enable attackers to bypass traditional security boundaries and potentially gain unauthorized access to sensitive corporate resources.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2017-4936 should prioritize immediate patching of affected VMware products to version 12.5.8 or later for Workstation and 4.6.1 or later for Horizon View Client. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure of affected systems, particularly within virtual desktop infrastructure environments where the vulnerability could be exploited through shared resources or virtual machine images. Security monitoring should focus on detecting unusual file transfers or image processing activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, administrators should consider disabling JPEG2000 format support in virtual environments where it is not strictly required, as this reduces the attack surface for exploitation. The vulnerability's remediation aligns with industry best practices for patch management and vulnerability remediation as outlined in NIST SP 800-40 and ISO/IEC 27001 frameworks for information security management.