CVE-2018-3296 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).
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/29/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-3296 resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's Core subcomponent, representing a critical security flaw that affects versions prior to 5.2.20. This vulnerability operates at the infrastructure level where VirtualBox executes, making it particularly dangerous as it allows attackers to compromise the virtualization environment without requiring authentication. The flaw's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers can leverage it with minimal technical barriers, potentially affecting organizations that rely heavily on virtualized environments for their operations. The CVSS 3.0 score of 8.6 demonstrates the severity of impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, with a low attack complexity and requiring no privileges for exploitation. This vulnerability particularly targets the underlying virtualization infrastructure, making it a prime candidate for advanced persistent threat actors seeking to establish persistent access to network environments.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves a flaw that requires an attacker to have logon access to the system where Oracle VM VirtualBox operates, yet it does not require authentication within the VirtualBox environment itself. This creates a scenario where an attacker with local access can exploit the vulnerability to gain control over the VirtualBox instance, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The requirement for human interaction from someone other than the attacker suggests that the exploitation might involve social engineering elements or require specific conditions that would typically be met by users within the target environment. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the context of supply chain attacks or insider threats where an attacker gains initial access through legitimate user credentials or physical access to systems. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond VirtualBox itself, potentially affecting additional products within the virtualized environment, creating cascading security implications that can compromise entire virtual infrastructures.
The operational impact of CVE-2018-3296 is substantial as successful exploitation can result in complete takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox, allowing attackers to execute arbitrary code, modify system configurations, and potentially access sensitive data stored within virtual machines. This vulnerability particularly affects organizations that depend on virtualization for their computing infrastructure, as compromising VirtualBox can provide attackers with access to multiple virtual machines and the data they contain. The availability impact is significant as attackers could potentially disrupt virtualized services or cause complete system outages, while the confidentiality impact extends to potential data exfiltration from virtual environments that may contain sensitive corporate or personal information. Organizations implementing virtualization technologies are particularly vulnerable as this flaw could enable attackers to bypass traditional network security controls and gain direct access to virtualized resources, undermining the security assumptions of virtualized environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-3296 primarily focus on immediate patch management and system updates to version 5.2.20 or later, which addresses the identified vulnerability in the VirtualBox Core component. Organizations should implement comprehensive vulnerability assessment procedures to identify systems running affected VirtualBox versions and prioritize patching activities accordingly. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit local access to systems hosting VirtualBox installations, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. Security monitoring should be implemented to detect unusual activities related to virtual machine management and virtualization infrastructure access. The vulnerability's classification under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and its alignment with ATT&CK technique T1059 (Command and Scripting Interpreter) highlight the importance of implementing least privilege principles and monitoring for unauthorized virtual machine manipulation. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing virtualization-specific security controls, including hypervisor hardening, regular security assessments of virtual environments, and establishing incident response procedures specifically designed for virtualization-related security incidents. Regular security awareness training for administrators and users who interact with virtualization environments can help prevent social engineering attacks that might exploit this vulnerability.