CVE-2018-2687 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component of Oracle Virtualization (subcomponent: Core). Supported versions that are affected are Prior to 5.1.32 and Prior to 5.2.6. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker and while the vulnerability is in Oracle VM VirtualBox, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.6 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/01/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2687 resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's Core subcomponent, representing a critical security flaw that has significant implications for virtualization environments. This vulnerability affects Oracle VM VirtualBox versions prior to 5.1.32 and 5.2.6, making it a widespread concern across multiple release branches. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage it without requiring specialized skills or extensive resources, while the requirement for an attacker to have logon access to the target infrastructure provides a clear attack vector that security professionals must consider. The CVSS 3.0 score of 8.6 reflects the high severity of this flaw, with impacts spanning confidentiality, integrity, and availability, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of potential damage.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a flaw within the core VirtualBox functionality that allows for privilege escalation and system compromise. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain complete control over the VirtualBox environment, potentially leading to unauthorized access to virtual machines and their underlying data. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker suggests that social engineering or user manipulation may be necessary to initiate the attack, though this does not mitigate the overall risk. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond just VirtualBox itself, potentially affecting connected systems and applications that rely on the virtualization platform, creating a cascading effect that can compromise broader enterprise security postures. This characteristic aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059 for command and script injection, as exploitation often involves executing malicious code within the virtualized environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-2687 is substantial for organizations utilizing Oracle VM VirtualBox, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise and unauthorized access to sensitive virtual environments. Organizations may experience data breaches, system downtime, and potential regulatory compliance violations when this vulnerability is exploited. The attack vector requiring local access to the infrastructure means that physical security controls and network segmentation become critical defensive measures. Security teams must consider that this vulnerability could be exploited by insiders or attackers who have gained access to the physical or network infrastructure where VirtualBox operates. The availability impact is particularly concerning as attackers could potentially render virtualization platforms unusable, disrupting business operations and requiring significant recovery efforts.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-2687 should prioritize immediate patching of affected VirtualBox versions to 5.1.32 or 5.2.6, respectively, as these releases contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement strict access controls and monitoring for systems running VirtualBox, ensuring that only authorized personnel have logon access to these environments. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be configured to limit access to VirtualBox infrastructure, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Security monitoring should include detection of suspicious processes and activities within virtualized environments, as attackers may attempt to establish persistence or escalate privileges. The vulnerability's characteristics make it particularly important to implement defense-in-depth strategies, including regular vulnerability assessments, security awareness training for personnel, and maintaining updated security tooling to detect and prevent exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing additional controls such as application whitelisting and privileged access management to further reduce the risk of exploitation.