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VMSA-2013-0006.1

VMware security updates for vCenter Server

1. Summary

VMware has updated vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) and vCenter Server running on Windows to address multiple security vulnerabilities.

2. Relevant Releases

vCenter Server 5.1 without Update 1
vCenter Server 5.0 without Update 3

Update Manager 5.0 without Update 3

3. Problem Description

a. vCenter Server AD anonymous LDAP binding credential by-pass

vCenter Server when deployed in an environment that uses Active Directory (AD) with anonymous LDAP binding enabled doesn't properly handle login credentials. In this environment, authenticating to vCenter Server with a valid user name and a blank password may be successful even if a non-blank password is required for the account.
The issue is present on vCenter Server 5.1, 5.1a and 5.1b if AD anonymous LDAP binding is enabled. The issue is addressed in vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1 by removing the possibility to authenticate using blank passwords. This change in the authentication mechanism is present regardless if anonymous  binding is enabled or not.
Workaround
The workaround is to discontinue the use of AD anonymous LDAP binding if it is enabled in your environment. AD anonymous LDAP binding is not enabled by default. The TechNet article listed in the references section explains how to check for anonymous binding (look for "anonymous binding" in the article: anonymous binding is enabled if the seventh bit of the dsHeuristics attribute is set to 2)

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2013-3107 to this issue.
Column 4 of the following table lists the action required to remediate the vulnerability in each release, if a solution is available.

b. vCenter Server Appliance arbitrary file execution

The vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) contains a remote code vulnerability. An authenticated attacker with access to the Virtual Appliance Management Interface (VAMI) may run an existing file as root. In the default vCSA setup, authentication to vCSA is limited to root since root is the only defined user.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2013-3079 to this issue.

Column 4 of the following table lists the action required to remediate the vulnerability in each release, if a solution is available.

c. vCenter Server Appliance arbitrary file upload

The vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) VAMI web interface contains a vulnerability that allows an authenticated remote attacker to upload files to an arbitrary location creating new files or overwriting existing files. Replacing certain files may result in a denial of service condition or code execution. In the default vCSA setup, authentication to vCSA is limited to root since root is the only defined user.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2013-3080 to this issue.

Column 4 of the following table lists the action required to remediate the vulnerability in each release, if a solution is available.

d. vCenter, Update Manager, Oracle (Sun) JRE update 1.6.0_37

Oracle (Sun) JRE is updated to version 1.6.0_37, which addresses multiple security issues that existed in earlier releases of Oracle (Sun) JRE.

Oracle has documented the CVE identifiers that are addressed in JRE 1.6.0_37 in the Oracle Java SE Critical Patch Update Advisory of October 2012. The References section provides a link to this advisory.

Column 4 of the following table lists the action required to remediate the vulnerability in each release, if a solution is available.

* hosted products are VMware Workstation, Player, ACE, Fusion.
** this product uses the Oracle (Sun) JRE 1.5.0 family

e. vCenter Server tc-server 2.8.1 / Apache Tomcat 6.0.36 update

tc-server has been updated to version 2.8.1 to address multiple security issues. This version of tc-server includes Apache Tomcat 6.0.36

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the names CVE-2012-5885, CVE-2012-5886, CVE-2012-5887, CVE-2012-2733, CVE-2012-4534, CVE-2012-3546 and CVE-2012-4431 to these issues

* Only CVE-2012-2733 and CVE-2012-4534 affect vCenter Server 5.1
** Hosted products are VMware Workstation, Player, ACE, Fusion.
*** This product uses the Apache Tomcat 5.5 family

4. Solution

Please review the patch/release notes for your product and version and verify the checksum of your downloaded file.

vCenter Server 5.1 Update 1
--------------------------------------
Download link:
https://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_cloud_infrastructure/vmware_vsphere/5_1

Release Notes:
http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere5/doc/vsphere-vcenter-server-51u1-release-notes.html

5. References

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2013-3107
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2013-3080
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2013-3079

--------- jre ---------
Oracle Java SE Critical Patch Update Advisory of October 2012
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/topics/security/javacpuoct2012-1515924.html

--------- tomcat ---------
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-5885
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-5886
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-5887
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-2733
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-4534
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-3546
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2012-4431

TechNet: How Active Directory Searches Work
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc755809.aspx

6. Change log

2013-04-25 VMSA-2013-0006
Initial security advisory in conjunction with the release of VMware vSphere 5.1 Update 1 on 2013-04-25.

2013-10-17 VMSA-2012-0006.1
Updated security advisory in conjunction with the release of vSphere 5.0 Update 3 on 2013-10-17 

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:

• security-announce at lists.vmware.com
• bugtraq at securityfocus.com
• full-disclosure at lists.grok.org.uk