VMSA-2017-0021 : VMware ESXi, vCenter Server Appliance, Workstation and Fusion updates address multiple security vulnerabilities

high Nessus Plugin ID 105410

Synopsis

The remote VMware ESXi host is missing one or more security-related patches.

Description

a. ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion stack overflow via authenticated VNC session

VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion contain a vulnerability that could allow an authenticated VNC session to cause a stack overflow via a specific set of VNC packets. Successful exploitation of this issue could result in remote code execution in a virtual machine via the authenticated VNC session.

Note: In order for exploitation to be possible in ESXi, VNC must be manually enabled in a virtual machine's .vmx configuration file. In addition, ESXi must be configured to allow VNC traffic through the built-in firewall.

VMware would like to thank Lilith Wyatt and another member of Cisco Talos for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4941 to this issue.

b. ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion heap overflow via authenticated VNC session

VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion contain a vulnerability that could allow an authenticated VNC session to cause a heap overflow via a specific set of VNC packets resulting in heap corruption.
Successful exploitation of this issue could result in remote code execution in a virtual machine via the authenticated VNC session.

Note: In order for exploitation to be possible in ESXi, VNC must be manually enabled in a virtual machine's .vmx configuration file. In addition, ESXi must be configured to allow VNC traffic through the built-in firewall.

VMware would like to thank Lilith Wyatt of Cisco Talos for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4933 to this issue.

c. ESXi Host Client stored cross-site scripting vulnerability

The ESXi Host Client contains a vulnerability that may allow for stored cross-site scripting (XSS). An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by injecting Javascript, which might get executed when other users access the Host Client.

VMware would like to thank Alain Homewood of Insomnia Security for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4940 to this issue.
d. Privilege escalation in vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA)

VMware vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability via the 'showlog' plugin. Successful exploitation of this issue could result in a low privileged user gaining root level privileges over the appliance base OS.

VMware would like to thank Lukasz Plonka for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4943 to this issue.

Solution

Apply the missing patches.

See Also

http://lists.vmware.com/pipermail/security-announce/2017/000394.html

Plugin Details

Severity: High

ID: 105410

File Name: vmware_VMSA-2017-0021.nasl

Version: 3.12

Type: local

Published: 12/21/2017

Updated: 1/6/2021

Supported Sensors: Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 5.9

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.2

Temporal Score: 5.3

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

CVSS v3

Risk Factor: High

Base Score: 7.8

Temporal Score: 6.8

Vector: CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Temporal Vector: CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: cpe:/o:vmware:esxi:5.5, cpe:/o:vmware:esxi:6.0, cpe:/o:vmware:esxi:6.5

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/VMware/release, Host/VMware/version

Exploit Ease: No known exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 12/19/2017

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2017-4933, CVE-2017-4940, CVE-2017-4941, CVE-2017-4943

VMSA: 2017-0021