VMSA-2017-0012

VMware VIX API VM Direct Access Function security issue

VMware Security Advisory
 
VMware Security Advisory Advisory ID:
VMSA-2017-0012
VMware Security Advisory Severity:
 Important
VMware Security Advisory Synopsis:
 VMware VIX API VM Direct Access Function security issue
VMware Security Advisory Issue date:
 2017-07-27
VMware Security Advisory Updated on:
2017-07-27 (Initial Advisory)
VMware Security Advisory CVE numbers:
 CVE-2017-4919
 
1. Summary

VMware VIX API allows for direct access to Guest Operating Systems (Guest OSs) by vSphere users with limited privileges.

 
2. Relevant Products
  • VMware vCenter Server
 
3. Problem Description

VMware VIX API VM Direct Access Function security issue  

 

The VMware VIX API has a functionality that allows for direct access to Guests OSs which is used by VMware Site Recovery Manager, VMware Update Manager, and VMware Infrastructure Navigator to manage Guest OSs. This functionality may be used by vSphere users with limited privileges to access a Guest OS without the need to authenticate.      

 

In order for vSphere users with limited privileges to use this functionality, they would need to have all three of the following privileges:         

               Virtual Machine -> Configuration -> Advanced            

               Virtual Machine -> Interaction ->                      

                                         Guest Operating System Management by VIX API                   

               Host -> Configuration -> Advanced Settings  

 

Workaround  

Workarounds that remove the direct access to Guest OSs by vSphere users with limited privileges are listed in VMware Knowledge Base article 2151027.  

These workarounds are not relevant for vSphere users that are fully privileged. Typically they already have alternate ways to access Guest OSs.  

 

VMware would like to thank Ofri Ziv and Itamar Tal of Guardicore for reporting this issue to us.  

 

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4919 to this issue.


Column 5 of the following table lists the action required to remediate the vulnerability in each release, if a solution is available.

VMware Product
Product Version
Running on
Severity
Replace with/ Apply Patch
Mitigation/ Workaround
VMware Product vCenter Server
Product Version 6.5
Running on Any
Severity Important
Replace with/ Apply Patch N/A
Mitigation/ Workaround KB 2151027
VMware Product vCenter Server
Product Version 6.0
Running on Any
Severity Important
Replace with/ Apply Patch N/A
Mitigation/ Workaround KB 2151027
VMware Product vCenter Server
Product Version 5.5
Running on Any
Severity Important
Replace with/ Apply Patch N/A
Mitigation/ Workaround KB 2151027

 

4. Solution

 

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

 

Apply the workaround listed in VMware Knowledge Base article 2151027.  

 

5. References
 

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-4919

  

VMware Knowledge Base article 2151027 

https://kb.vmware.com/kb/2151027

 

6. Change log

 

2017-07-27 VMSA-2017-0012   

Initial security advisory providing a workaround on 2017-07-27.

 

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@lists.vmware.com

  bugtraq@securityfocus.com

  fulldisclosure@seclists.org

 

E-mail: security@vmware.com

PGP key at:

https://kb.vmware.com/kb/1055

 

VMware Security Advisories

http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories

 

VMware Security Response Policy

https://www.vmware.com/support/policies/security_response.html

 

VMware Lifecycle Support Phases

https://www.vmware.com/support/policies/lifecycle.html

 

VMware Security & Compliance Blog  

https://blogs.vmware.com/security

 

Twitter

https://twitter.com/VMwareSRC

 

Copyright 2017 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.