CVE-2019-5513 in Horizon Connection Server
Summary
by MITRE
VMware Horizon Connection Server (7.x before 7.8, 7.5.x before 7.5.2, 6.x before 6.2.8) contains an information disclosure vulnerability. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow disclosure of internal domain names, the Connection Server?s internal name, or the gateway?s internal IP address.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-5513 affects VMware Horizon Connection Server versions prior to specific patched releases, creating a significant information disclosure risk within virtual desktop infrastructure environments. This vulnerability resides in the server's handling of certain API responses and administrative interfaces that inadvertently expose internal network topology information. The flaw impacts multiple major versions including 7.x before 7.8, 7.5.x before 7.5.2, and 6.x before 6.2.8, indicating a widespread issue affecting critical components of VMware's desktop virtualization platform. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-200, which specifically addresses information exposure, making it a fundamental security weakness that reveals sensitive system information to unauthorized parties.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper input validation and output sanitization within the Connection Server's administrative response handling mechanisms. When legitimate administrative requests are processed, the server includes internal domain names, server internal names, and gateway internal IP addresses in its response payloads. This occurs because the system fails to properly filter or sanitize output data before returning it to requesting clients, particularly those with administrative privileges or those exploiting the vulnerability through crafted requests. The issue manifests when specific API endpoints are accessed, allowing attackers to extract internal network information that should remain confidential within the organization's infrastructure.
The operational impact of CVE-2019-5513 extends beyond simple information disclosure, as the leaked internal domain names and IP addresses provide attackers with crucial reconnaissance data for subsequent attack phases. This information can be leveraged to map internal network structures, identify potential targets for further exploitation, and craft more sophisticated attacks against the organization's virtual desktop infrastructure. The exposure of internal names and addresses creates opportunities for attackers to perform network enumeration, identify system components, and potentially escalate privileges through targeted attacks against known internal services. This vulnerability directly supports techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under the reconnaissance and credential access phases, where attackers gather system information to plan further exploitation.
Organizations affected by this vulnerability should immediately implement the recommended patches for their specific VMware Horizon Connection Server versions, with particular attention to upgrading to the patched releases mentioned in the CVE details. Network segmentation and access controls should be enhanced to limit administrative access to the Connection Server, while monitoring systems should be configured to detect unusual API access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation and output sanitization practices, aligning with security best practices outlined in NIST SP 800-53 and ISO 27001 standards. Additional mitigations include implementing network-based firewalls to restrict access to administrative interfaces, deploying intrusion detection systems to monitor for abnormal information disclosure patterns, and conducting regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in other components of the virtual desktop infrastructure ecosystem.