CVE-2023-21885 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 01/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are Prior to 6.1.42 and prior to 7.0.6. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low 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 (scope change). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data. Note: Applies to Windows only. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 3.8 (Confidentiality impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/14/2023
CVE-2023-21885 represents a confidentiality-focused vulnerability within Oracle VM VirtualBox's core component that affects versions prior to 6.1.42 and 7.0.6. This vulnerability operates under the Common Weakness Enumeration category CWE-200, which specifically addresses improper exposure of sensitive information. The flaw exists in the Windows implementation of VirtualBox and requires a low-privileged attacker who already has logon access to the host infrastructure where VirtualBox executes. This access vector aligns with ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers valid accounts with limited privileges. The vulnerability's CVSS 3.1 base score of 3.8 indicates a moderate severity level with confidentiality impacts, though the scope change aspect suggests potential broader implications beyond the immediate VirtualBox environment.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from insufficient access controls within VirtualBox's core functionality, allowing an attacker with local access to potentially read sensitive data that should remain restricted. This represents a privilege escalation issue where the attacker can access data that is not properly protected from unauthorized access. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond traditional virtualization boundaries since VirtualBox operates within the host operating system environment, making it susceptible to exploitation through host-level access. This scenario creates a risk that attackers could leverage their existing access to extract configuration data, guest VM information, or other sensitive operational details from the VirtualBox environment.
The operational impact of CVE-2023-21885 manifests as unauthorized read access to a subset of VirtualBox's accessible data, which could include virtual machine configurations, network settings, or other sensitive operational parameters. This vulnerability's scope change characteristic indicates that successful exploitation may affect additional Oracle products or components within the broader virtualization ecosystem. The attack requires minimal complexity to execute, as the attacker already possesses the necessary credentials to access the host system, making this vulnerability particularly concerning for environments where multiple virtual machines operate. The potential for data exposure increases significantly in enterprise environments where VirtualBox is used to manage multiple virtualized workloads.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigation strategies including upgrading to VirtualBox versions 6.1.42 or 7.0.6, which contain the necessary patches to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also implement additional access controls and monitoring for VirtualBox processes, particularly focusing on local access points. The vulnerability's low attack complexity and local privilege requirements make it particularly dangerous in environments where physical or remote access to host systems is not adequately controlled. Security teams should also consider implementing network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement if an attacker successfully exploits this vulnerability. Regular vulnerability assessments should include checks for outdated VirtualBox installations, and organizations should maintain updated inventory records of all virtualization software deployments to quickly identify affected systems.