CVE-2021-2409 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 07/21/2021
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). The supported version that is affected is Prior to 6.1.24. Easily exploitable 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 takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 8.2 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/25/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2021-2409 represents a critical security flaw within Oracle VM VirtualBox's core component that affects versions prior to 6.1.24. This vulnerability operates at a privilege level that requires an attacker to already possess legitimate login credentials to the host infrastructure where VirtualBox is executing, making it a high-privilege attack vector. The CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 reflects the severity of potential impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, indicating that successful exploitation could result in complete compromise of the virtualization environment. The attack vector is classified as local access with low complexity and high privilege requirements, suggesting that the vulnerability is specifically designed to be exploited by someone who already has access to the underlying host system.
This vulnerability falls under the CWE category of privilege escalation and represents a significant concern for organizations that rely on virtualized environments for their computing infrastructure. The attack scenario involves an authenticated attacker who can leverage this flaw to gain full control over the Oracle VM VirtualBox instance, potentially leading to broader system compromise. The CVSS vector analysis reveals that while the attacker must already have a valid login to the infrastructure, the impact of successful exploitation is severe enough to warrant immediate attention. The confidentiality, integrity, and availability impacts are all rated as high, indicating that an attacker could potentially read sensitive data, modify system configurations, or completely disrupt the virtualization environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2021-2409 extends beyond just the immediate VirtualBox environment, as attacks leveraging this vulnerability may significantly affect additional products within the organization's infrastructure. This cascading effect demonstrates how virtualization platforms serve as critical attack surfaces that can compromise entire computing ecosystems when properly exploited. Organizations using older versions of Oracle VM VirtualBox face substantial risk of unauthorized access and potential data breaches, particularly in environments where virtual machines host sensitive information or critical business applications. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that skilled attackers could potentially leverage this flaw with minimal effort once they have established access to the host system.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-2409 primarily focus on immediate patching and system updates to Oracle VM VirtualBox to version 6.1.24 or later. Organizations should prioritize updating their virtualization infrastructure and conducting comprehensive security assessments of their virtual environments. Additionally, implementing strict access controls and monitoring for unusual activities on systems where VirtualBox executes can help detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter, as exploitation may involve executing malicious code within the compromised virtual environment. Security teams should also consider network segmentation and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of successful exploitation, ensuring that even if one virtual machine is compromised, other systems remain protected. Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments should be conducted to identify and remediate similar issues across the entire virtualization infrastructure.