CVE-2021-2291 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 04/23/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). The supported version that is affected is Prior to 6.1.20. Difficult to exploit vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. 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 4.7 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/30/2025
This vulnerability resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's core component and affects versions prior to 6.1.20, representing a significant security weakness that could enable unauthorized access to virtualized environments. The flaw operates with a CVSS base score of 4.7, classified as a medium severity issue, though its exploitation difficulty rating of high suggests that while not trivial, it remains a serious concern for organizations relying on virtualization technologies. The vulnerability specifically targets low-privileged attackers who already possess legitimate access to the host infrastructure where VirtualBox operates, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative privileges are not strictly enforced.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls or authentication mechanisms within VirtualBox's core processing modules. According to CWE categorization, this issue likely falls under CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) or similar access control weaknesses that allow unauthorized data access. The attack vector requires local access to the system where VirtualBox is running, meaning an attacker must first establish a foothold on the host machine before attempting to exploit this vulnerability. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the ATT&CK matrix under the T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1068 (Local Privilege Escalation) techniques, as attackers would need to leverage existing credentials to reach the vulnerable system.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple data theft, potentially allowing complete compromise of all data accessible through the VirtualBox environment. This represents a critical confidentiality breach that could expose sensitive virtual machine configurations, guest operating system data, and potentially interconnected network resources. Organizations utilizing VirtualBox for development, testing, or production environments face significant risk, particularly in scenarios where the host system is shared or where multiple users have access to the same physical infrastructure. The vulnerability's potential to enable unauthorized access to critical data makes it particularly concerning for enterprises handling regulated information or proprietary intellectual property within their virtualized environments.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patching to version 6.1.20 or later, which addresses the underlying access control flaws. Additionally, organizations should implement strict access controls on host systems, ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to VirtualBox execution environments. Network segmentation and monitoring of host system activities can help detect unauthorized access attempts. The principle of least privilege should be enforced across all systems running VirtualBox, limiting user permissions to only what is necessary for their operational requirements. Regular security assessments of virtualization environments and implementation of automated patch management systems can help prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities in the future. Organizations should also consider implementing additional monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous behavior patterns indicative of privilege escalation attempts or unauthorized data access within virtualized environments.