VMSA-2009-0003
| VMware Security Advisory | |
| Advisory ID: | VMSA-2009-0003 |
| Synopsis: | ESX 2.5.5 patch 12 updates service console packag ed |
| Issue date: | 2009-01-26 |
| Updated on: | 2009-01-26 (initial release of advisory) |
| CVE numbers: | CVE-2008-3916 |
1. Summary
ESX 2.5.5 patch 12 Build 142708 updates service console package ed
2. Relevant releases
VMware ESX 2.5.5 before patch 12
Extended support for ESX 2.5.5 ends on 2010-06-15. Users should plan to upgrade to ESX 3.0.3
Extended support for ESX 2.5.5 ends on 2010-06-15. Users should plan to upgrade to ESX 3.0.3
3. Problem Description
a. Updated ESX patch updates Service Console package "ed"
If the VMDK delta disk of a snapshot is corrupt, an ESX host might crash when the corrupted disk is loaded. VMDK delta files exist for virtual machines with one or more snapshots. This change ensures that a corrupt VMDK delta file cannot be used to crash ESX hosts.
"ed" is a line-oriented text editor, used to create, display, and modify text files (both interactively and via shell scripts).
A heap-based buffer overflow was discovered in the way "ed", the GNU line editor, processed long file names. An attacker could create a file with a specially-crafted name that could possibly execute an arbitrary code when opened in the "ed" editor.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project ( cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2008-3916 to this issue.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.
* hosted products are VMware Workstation, Player, ACE, Server, Fusion.
"ed" is a line-oriented text editor, used to create, display, and modify text files (both interactively and via shell scripts).
A heap-based buffer overflow was discovered in the way "ed", the GNU line editor, processed long file names. An attacker could create a file with a specially-crafted name that could possibly execute an arbitrary code when opened in the "ed" editor.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project ( cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2008-3916 to this issue.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.
| VMware Product | Product Version | Running on | Replace with/ Apply Patch |
| ============= | ======= | ======= | ================= |
| VirtualCente | any | Windows | not affected |
| hosted* | any | any | not affected |
| ESXi | 3.5 | ESXi | not affected |
| ESX | 3.5 | ESX | ESX350-200901401-SG |
| ESX | 3.0.3 | ESX | not affected |
| ESX | 3.0.2 | ESX | not affected |
| ESX | 2.5.5 | ESX | Upgrade Patch 12 |
* hosted products are VMware Workstation, Player, ACE, Server, Fusion.
4. Solution
Please review the patch/release notes for your product and version and verify the md5sum of your downloaded file.
ESX 2.5.5 Upgrade Patch 12 Build 142709
www.vmware.com/support/esx25/doc/esx-255-142709-patch.html
http://download3.vmware.com/software/esx/esx-2.5.5-142709-upgrade.tar.gz
md5sum: 2a0bd5cc3591b1f6b04616fa2c97f78c
ESX 2.5.5 Upgrade Patch 12 Build 142709
www.vmware.com/support/esx25/doc/esx-255-142709-patch.html
http://download3.vmware.com/software/esx/esx-2.5.5-142709-upgrade.tar.gz
md5sum: 2a0bd5cc3591b1f6b04616fa2c97f78c
5. References
6. Change Log
2009-02-20 VMSA-2009-0003 Initial security advisory after release of patch 12 for ESX 2.5.5 on 2009-02-20.
7. Contact
E-mail list for product security notifications and announcements:
http://lists.vmware.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/security-announce
This Security Advisory is posted to the following lists:
PGP key at:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1055
VMware Security Advisories
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories
VMware security response policy
http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/security_response.html
General support life cycle policy
http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/eos.html
VMware Infrastructure support life cycle policy
http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/eos_vi.html
Copyright 2011 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.
http://lists.vmware.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/security-announce
This Security Advisory is posted to the following lists:
- security-announce at lists.vmware.com
- bugtraq at securityfocus.com
- full-disclosure at lists.grok.org.uk
PGP key at:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1055
VMware Security Advisories
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories
VMware security response policy
http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/security_response.html
General support life cycle policy
http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/eos.html
VMware Infrastructure support life cycle policy
http://www.vmware.com/support/policies/eos_vi.html
Copyright 2011 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.
