CVE-2021-0180 in HAXM
Summary
by MITRE • 11/17/2021
Uncontrolled resource consumption in the Intel(R) HAXM software before version 7.6.6 may allow an unauthenticated user to potentially enable privilege escalation via local access.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/21/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-0180 represents a critical resource consumption flaw within Intel Hardware Accelerated Execution Manager HAXM software versions prior to 7.6.6. This virtualization technology enables Android applications to run within virtual machines on Windows systems, providing hardware acceleration for improved performance. The vulnerability specifically affects the software's resource management mechanisms, creating a potential pathway for malicious actors to exploit system resources in ways that could lead to privilege escalation. The flaw manifests when unauthenticated local users access the system, leveraging the improper handling of resource allocation within the HAXM runtime environment. This issue demonstrates a fundamental weakness in the software's ability to properly monitor and control resource utilization during virtual machine operations, creating opportunities for resource exhaustion attacks that could destabilize the underlying system.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate resource boundary checking within the HAXM driver components. When processing virtual machine requests, the software fails to properly validate or limit resource consumption patterns, allowing malicious processes to consume excessive system memory, CPU cycles, or other critical resources. This uncontrolled resource consumption can lead to system instability, denial of service conditions, and potentially provide a foothold for privilege escalation attacks. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level within the HAXM driver, making it particularly dangerous as it can bypass standard user-mode security controls. The flaw aligns with CWE-400, which catalogs improper resource management issues, specifically addressing the lack of proper resource limiting mechanisms that should prevent unbounded consumption patterns. Attackers can exploit this by creating multiple resource-intensive virtual machine operations that gradually consume system resources until the system becomes unresponsive or vulnerable to further exploitation.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-0180 extends beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as the resource exhaustion can create conditions that facilitate more sophisticated attacks. Local adversaries with minimal privileges can potentially leverage this vulnerability to gain elevated system access by causing system instability that leads to privilege escalation opportunities. The vulnerability is particularly concerning in environments where HAXM is used for development or testing purposes, as these systems often contain sensitive data and may be less protected than production environments. The attack surface is broad since HAXM is commonly deployed in development environments, security testing frameworks, and research platforms where local access is frequently available. Organizations using older versions of HAXM face significant risk as this vulnerability could be exploited to compromise entire development environments, potentially leading to data breaches or system compromise that could affect downstream applications and services. The vulnerability also represents a potential entry point for attackers seeking to establish persistent access within development environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-0180 require immediate deployment of Intel's patched HAXM version 7.6.6 or later, which implements proper resource boundary checking and consumption limits. System administrators should conduct comprehensive inventory audits to identify all systems running vulnerable HAXM versions and prioritize patching efforts accordingly. The mitigation approach should include implementing monitoring solutions that track resource consumption patterns within virtual machine environments to detect anomalous behavior that could indicate exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit local access to systems running HAXM, reducing the attack surface for potential exploitation. The remediation process must include thorough testing of patched versions to ensure compatibility with existing virtualization workflows and development environments. Additionally, security teams should review their incident response procedures to address potential exploitation scenarios involving resource exhaustion attacks, incorporating specific detection signatures for this vulnerability into existing security monitoring frameworks. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date virtualization software and implementing proper resource management controls as outlined in various cybersecurity frameworks including those referenced in the MITRE ATT&CK matrix under privilege escalation and resource consumption categories.