CVE-2018-3085 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component of Oracle Virtualization (subcomponent: Core). The supported version that is affected is Prior to 5.2.16. 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 unauthorized creation, deletion or modification access to critical data or all Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle VM VirtualBox. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.5 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/18/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3085 resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's Core subcomponent, representing a critical security flaw that affects versions prior to 5.2.16. This vulnerability operates within the broader context of virtualization security, where the integrity of hypervisor components directly impacts the security posture of entire virtualized environments. The flaw manifests as an easily exploitable condition that requires minimal privileges for exploitation, making it particularly dangerous in environments where VirtualBox operates with elevated system permissions. The vulnerability's classification as CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.5 indicates a high severity threat that compromises all three fundamental security principles: confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The attack vector requires local access to the system where VirtualBox executes, which means an attacker must first establish a foothold on the target infrastructure before leveraging this vulnerability.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient input validation and potentially improper access controls within VirtualBox's core functionality. The flaw allows an unauthenticated attacker with local system access to perform unauthorized operations that extend beyond the immediate VirtualBox application boundaries. This cross-product impact means that successful exploitation can affect not only VirtualBox itself but also other applications and systems that rely on the virtualization environment. The vulnerability enables attackers to create, delete, or modify critical data within VirtualBox's accessible scope, while simultaneously granting read access to sensitive information. Additionally, the ability to cause complete denial of service through system hangs or frequent crashes represents a significant availability threat that can disrupt virtualized workloads and business operations. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker suggests that social engineering or privilege escalation techniques may be necessary to reach this vulnerable state.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3085 extends far beyond the immediate VirtualBox environment, as virtualization platforms typically serve as foundational infrastructure for enterprise computing environments. Organizations running vulnerable VirtualBox versions face potential data breaches where sensitive information could be compromised through unauthorized data modification or exfiltration. The integrity implications are particularly concerning given that attackers could alter virtual machine configurations, guest operating systems, or host system settings without detection. The availability component of this vulnerability poses significant operational risks, as repeated crashes could lead to complete system downtime and loss of virtualized services. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that rely on VirtualBox for development, testing, or production environments, where the compromise of a single virtualization platform could cascade into broader security incidents. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to input validation and access control further emphasizes the fundamental security weaknesses in the implementation.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3085 primarily focus on immediate remediation through patching to version 5.2.16 or later, which addresses the underlying validation and access control issues. Organizations should implement comprehensive access control measures to limit local system access to VirtualBox installations, particularly on systems that host critical virtualized workloads. Network segmentation and privilege separation techniques can help reduce the attack surface by limiting the potential impact of local compromise. Regular security assessments of virtualization environments should include checks for outdated VirtualBox installations, with automated monitoring systems to identify vulnerable systems. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access, making defensive measures such as endpoint detection and response systems valuable for monitoring suspicious activities. Additionally, implementing robust backup and recovery procedures becomes critical given the potential for data modification and system instability. Organizations should also consider the broader implications for their virtualization strategy, potentially evaluating alternative hypervisor solutions or implementing additional security controls to protect virtualized environments from similar threats. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining up-to-date virtualization software and implementing comprehensive security controls across all system components.