CVE-2018-3292 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 5.2.20. 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 • 05/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3292 resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's Core subcomponent, representing a critical security flaw that undermines the integrity of virtualization environments. This vulnerability affects Oracle VM VirtualBox versions prior to 5.2.20, making it particularly dangerous as it targets a widely deployed virtualization platform. The flaw manifests as an easily exploitable condition that permits unauthorized access to systems where VirtualBox operates, creating a significant attack surface for malicious actors who can leverage legitimate system access to compromise the virtualization infrastructure. The vulnerability's classification as CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.6 indicates a high-severity threat with impacts spanning confidentiality, integrity, and availability, reflecting the comprehensive nature of potential damage that can occur.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability requires an attacker to possess logon credentials to the host infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes, which represents a relatively accessible entry point for determined adversaries. The attack vector is classified as local access (AV:L) with low complexity requirements (AC:L), meaning that the vulnerability can be exploited with minimal technical expertise once the attacker has legitimate system access. However, the requirement for human interaction (UI:R) suggests that additional user engagement may be necessary for successful exploitation, potentially through social engineering or manipulation of user processes. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond just VirtualBox itself, as successful exploitation can significantly affect other connected products and systems within the virtualized environment, creating cascading security implications.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3292 is substantial, as successful attacks can result in complete takeover of the Oracle VM VirtualBox instance, allowing attackers to gain full control over virtual machines and their underlying resources. This compromise creates a persistent threat vector that can be leveraged for data exfiltration, system infiltration, and further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated as high (C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating that attackers can potentially read sensitive data, modify system configurations, and disrupt service availability across the virtualized environment. Organizations running affected VirtualBox versions face severe risks including potential data breaches, system compromise, and unauthorized access to virtualized workloads that may contain critical business information.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3292 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle VM VirtualBox installations to version 5.2.20 or later, which addresses the underlying vulnerability in the Core component. System administrators should implement strict access controls and monitoring of host infrastructure to minimize the risk of unauthorized logon credentials being obtained by attackers. Network segmentation and isolation of virtualization environments can help limit the potential impact of successful exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments of their virtualization infrastructure to identify and remediate related vulnerabilities that may exist in connected systems. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and can be mapped to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and persistence mechanisms, emphasizing the need for comprehensive defensive measures beyond simple patching to protect against advanced persistent threats targeting virtualization platforms.