CVE-2019-2522 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component of Oracle Virtualization (subcomponent: Core). Supported versions that are affected are prior to 5.2.24 and prior to 6.0.2. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. 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 7.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2522 resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's Core subcomponent, representing a critical security flaw that affects versions prior to 5.2.24 and 6.0.2. This vulnerability operates at the infrastructure level where VirtualBox executes, making it particularly dangerous as it requires only low-privileged user access to potentially compromise the entire virtualization environment. The attack vector is classified as local access with high attack complexity, indicating that while the vulnerability is difficult to exploit, it remains a significant threat when an attacker already has access to the target system. The Common Weakness Enumeration categorizes this issue under CWE-119, which encompasses weaknesses related to the improper handling of memory or resources, suggesting potential buffer overflow or memory corruption scenarios. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.8 reflects the substantial impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, demonstrating that successful exploitation could lead to complete system compromise.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-2522 extends far beyond the immediate VirtualBox environment, as noted in the vulnerability description. This characteristic aligns with the ATT&CK framework's concept of privilege escalation and lateral movement, where a compromised virtualization platform can serve as a gateway to attack other systems within the network infrastructure. When an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability, they gain the ability to take complete control of the Oracle VM VirtualBox instance, potentially allowing them to manipulate virtual machines, access sensitive data, or use the compromised system as a pivot point for further attacks. The confidentiality impact is rated high due to the potential exposure of virtual machine data and guest operating system information, while the integrity impact reflects the ability to modify or corrupt virtual machine configurations and system files. The availability impact is equally severe, as attackers could potentially cause denial of service conditions or completely disable the virtualization platform.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2019-2522 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Oracle VM VirtualBox installations to versions 5.2.24 or 6.0.2, respectively, as these releases contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should implement network segmentation to limit access to systems running VirtualBox, reducing the attack surface available to potential adversaries. The principle of least privilege should be enforced, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to the virtualization infrastructure. Additional protective measures include implementing robust monitoring solutions to detect anomalous behavior within virtualization environments and conducting regular security assessments of virtual machine configurations. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation issue means that network-based attacks may be less likely, but physical access or compromised local accounts could still pose significant risks. Security teams should also consider implementing virtualization-specific security controls and regularly reviewing access controls to prevent unauthorized modifications to virtual machine settings that could exploit this vulnerability. Organizations should maintain detailed inventory of all VirtualBox installations and ensure comprehensive patch management processes are in place to prevent similar vulnerabilities from remaining unaddressed in the future.