CVE-2023-21998 in VM VirtualBox
Summary
by MITRE • 04/18/2023
Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox product of Oracle Virtualization (component: Core). Supported versions that are affected are Prior to 6.1.44 and Prior to 7.0.8. 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 (scope change). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Oracle VM VirtualBox accessible data. Note: This vulnerability applies to Windows VMs only. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.6 (Confidentiality and Integrity impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:L/I:L/A:N).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/24/2025
This vulnerability resides within Oracle VM VirtualBox's core component and represents a significant security weakness that affects specific version ranges prior to 6.1.44 and 7.0.8. The flaw manifests as an easily exploitable issue that requires only high privileged access to the host infrastructure where VirtualBox operates, making it particularly dangerous in environments where administrative credentials might be compromised or where attackers have already gained elevated privileges. The vulnerability's classification as CVSS 3.1 Base Score 4.6 indicates a moderate severity level, though its potential for scope change means that impacts could extend beyond the immediate VirtualBox environment to other connected systems and applications. The attack vector is local access with low complexity and high privileges required, suggesting that an attacker who has already established a foothold on the host system can leverage this weakness to compromise VirtualBox operations.
The technical nature of this vulnerability allows for unauthorized modification of data within the VirtualBox environment, specifically enabling unauthorized update, insert, or delete operations against accessible data stores. Additionally, attackers can achieve unauthorized read access to subsets of data that VirtualBox can access, creating potential for data exfiltration and information disclosure. This dual capability for both integrity and confidentiality impacts aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and CWE-200 (Information Exposure) classifications, as the vulnerability essentially provides an attacker with elevated access privileges that bypass normal security controls. The scope change aspect of this vulnerability indicates that while the primary target is VirtualBox, the compromise could potentially affect other systems or applications that depend on or interact with VirtualBox operations, creating cascading security implications that extend beyond the immediate virtualization platform.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly concerning for enterprise environments that rely heavily on virtualization technologies, especially when considering that the flaw specifically affects Windows VMs. Organizations running VirtualBox in production environments may experience unauthorized data manipulation and potential information leakage, which could lead to compliance violations, data breaches, or operational disruptions. The requirement for high privileged access to exploit this vulnerability means that the attack surface is limited to environments where attackers have already achieved administrative privileges, but this still represents a critical escalation path. This vulnerability demonstrates how internal security controls can be bypassed when virtualization platforms contain unpatched security flaws, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate virtual machine configurations or access sensitive data stored within the virtualized environment.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patching of affected VirtualBox installations to versions 6.1.44 or 7.0.8 and above, as these releases contain the necessary security fixes. Organizations should also implement additional monitoring of virtualization host systems to detect unauthorized access attempts or suspicious activities that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures should be reinforced to limit the potential impact of credential compromise, ensuring that even if an attacker gains access to host systems, they cannot easily leverage this vulnerability to compromise virtualized environments. The vulnerability's characteristics align with ATT&CK technique T1078 (Valid Accounts) and T1566 (Phishing), as exploitation typically requires prior access to privileged accounts followed by leveraging the VirtualBox vulnerability to maintain or escalate access. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning of virtualization infrastructure should be implemented to identify similar weaknesses that could be exploited by attackers in similar scenarios, particularly focusing on the core components of virtualization platforms that handle critical system operations and data access controls.