CVE-2019-10183 in virt-manager
Summary
by MITRE
Virt-install(1) utility used to provision new virtual machines has introduced an option '--unattended' to create VMs without user interaction. This option accepts guest VM password as command line arguments, thus leaking them to others users on the system via process listing. It was introduced recently in the virt-manager v2.2.0 release.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/15/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-10183 resides within the virt-install utility, a component of the virt-manager suite used for provisioning new virtual machines in virtualized environments. This utility introduced the '--unattended' option in version 2.2.0 to facilitate automated VM creation without requiring manual user intervention. The feature accepts guest VM passwords as command line arguments, creating a significant security risk through improper handling of sensitive information. The implementation fails to adequately protect credential data from being exposed to other system users who can access process listings, thereby compromising the confidentiality of authentication credentials.
The technical flaw stems from the utility's improper handling of command line arguments containing sensitive password information. When users execute virt-install with the '--unattended' option, the password parameter becomes visible in the process table through standard system monitoring tools such as ps, top, or htop. This exposure occurs because command line arguments are typically stored in memory and accessible via process enumeration mechanisms, creating an information disclosure vulnerability that violates fundamental security principles. The vulnerability represents a classic case of insecure handling of sensitive data in command line interfaces and demonstrates poor security design practices in credential management.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to potentially enable privilege escalation and lateral movement attacks within virtualized environments. An attacker with access to a system running virt-install can easily obtain password credentials of virtual machines being provisioned, potentially gaining unauthorized access to multiple virtual environments. This risk is particularly severe in multi-tenant cloud environments or shared infrastructure scenarios where multiple users operate on the same physical host. The vulnerability can be exploited by any local user with access to process monitoring tools, making it a persistent threat that can be leveraged for extended periods without detection, aligning with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under credential access and privilege escalation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on eliminating command line credential passing and implementing secure credential management practices. Organizations should immediately upgrade to patched versions of virt-manager where the problematic '--unattended' option has been removed or properly secured through alternative credential passing mechanisms such as configuration files with restricted permissions, environment variables, or secure input methods. System administrators should also implement process monitoring to detect and alert on potentially sensitive command line arguments being passed to virt-install. The vulnerability highlights the importance of following security best practices outlined in CWE categories related to command line argument handling and credential storage, specifically CWE-256 and CWE-312, which address insecure password storage and exposure of sensitive information through command line parameters. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing mandatory access controls and privilege separation to limit the impact of such vulnerabilities in their virtualization infrastructure.