CVE-2020-14650 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are Prior to 5.2.44, prior to 6.0.24 and prior to 6.1.12. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows high 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 unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/02/2020
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2020-14650 resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's core component, representing a significant security weakness that affects multiple version streams prior to 5.2.44, 6.0.24, and 6.1.12. This flaw demonstrates characteristics of a privilege escalation vulnerability that operates under specific conditions requiring an attacker to possess legitimate login credentials for the host infrastructure where VirtualBox executes. The vulnerability's classification as difficult to exploit indicates that while the attack vector is not trivial, it remains a genuine threat to virtualization environments. The CVSS 3.1 score of 5.3 reflects the moderate severity level, with confidentiality impacts being the primary concern, though the potential for broader system compromise cannot be dismissed.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within the VirtualBox core implementation, creating opportunities for privilege escalation attacks that could allow attackers with local access to gain elevated privileges within the virtualization environment. This flaw operates at the infrastructure level where VirtualBox executes, meaning that any malicious actor who has established a foothold on the host system can potentially leverage this vulnerability to compromise the virtualization layer itself. The attack requires high privileged access initially, which aligns with the CVSS vector's PR:H classification, indicating that the attacker must already possess significant privileges to mount an effective assault. The security implications extend beyond just VirtualBox itself, as successful exploitation can result in unauthorized access to critical data or complete access to all data accessible through the virtualization platform.
The operational impact of CVE-2020-14650 represents a serious threat to organizations relying on Oracle VM VirtualBox for their virtualization needs, particularly those with multiple virtual machines running on a single host system. When exploited, this vulnerability could enable attackers to access sensitive data stored within virtual machines, potentially compromising entire virtualized environments. The confidentiality impact of CVSS score indicates that attackers could gain access to critical information that should remain protected, while the scope of the vulnerability's impact is amplified by its potential to affect additional products within the virtualization ecosystem. Organizations with complex virtualization infrastructures may face significant operational disruption if this vulnerability is successfully exploited, as it could enable attackers to pivot to other systems within the network.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2020-14650 primarily focus on immediate patch deployment, with Oracle releasing updates for all affected versions including 5.2.44, 6.0.24, and 6.1.12 to address the privilege escalation flaw. System administrators should prioritize applying these patches across all VirtualBox installations, particularly those running on critical infrastructure where the risk of exploitation is highest. Additional protective measures include implementing strict access controls for the host systems where VirtualBox operates, monitoring for unauthorized access attempts, and establishing robust network segmentation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation. From a compliance standpoint, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 which addresses improper access control, and may be categorized under ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access. Organizations should also consider implementing comprehensive logging and monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts and ensure that any unauthorized access attempts are quickly identified and addressed.