CVE-2018-6973 in Workstation
Summary
by MITRE
VMware Workstation (14.x before 14.1.3) and Fusion (10.x before 10.1.3) contain an out-of-bounds write vulnerability in the e1000 device. This issue may allow a guest to execute code on the host.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/02/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-6973 represents a critical out-of-bounds write flaw within the e1000 network device implementation of VMware Workstation and Fusion products. This vulnerability affects versions 14.x prior to 14.1.3 and 10.x prior to 10.1.3, creating a significant security risk for virtualized environments where guest operating systems can potentially exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized code execution privileges on the host system. The e1000 device emulation is a standard network interface component used in virtual machines, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for widespread exploitation scenarios.
The technical flaw manifests as an out-of-bounds write condition that occurs when processing network packets within the virtualized network interface. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-787 which specifically addresses out-of-bounds write conditions in software implementations. The vulnerability stems from inadequate bounds checking within the e1000 device driver emulation code, where maliciously crafted network traffic can cause the guest operating system to write data beyond the allocated memory boundaries of the network device buffer. This memory corruption can result in arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the host system's virtualization layer, effectively allowing guest users to break out of their isolated virtual environment and potentially compromise the entire host infrastructure.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it fundamentally undermines the security isolation that virtualization platforms are designed to provide. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can leverage the guest-to-host code execution capability to perform various malicious activities including but not limited to data exfiltration, system compromise, and persistent access to the host environment. The attack vector requires a compromised guest operating system, making it particularly dangerous in multi-tenant environments where multiple users share the same physical host infrastructure. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1055 which covers process injection and code execution techniques, specifically targeting the host system through virtual machine escape mechanisms.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-6973 primarily involve immediate patching of affected VMware Workstation and Fusion installations to versions 14.1.3 and 10.1.3 respectively. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and monitoring to detect anomalous network traffic patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additional protective measures include disabling unnecessary virtual network devices, implementing strict access controls for guest operating systems, and conducting regular security assessments of virtualized environments. The vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical importance of maintaining up-to-date virtualization software and the inherent risks associated with complex virtual machine device emulations that require careful memory management and bounds checking implementations.