VMSA-2009-0005

VMware Hosted products, VI Client and patches for ESX and ESXi resolve multiple security issues

1. Summary

Updated VMware Hosted products, VI Client and patches for ESX and ESXi resolve multiple security issues.

2. Relevant releases

VMware Workstation 6.5.1 and earlier,
VMware Player 2.5.1 and earlier,
VMware ACE 2.5.1 and earlier,
VMware Server 2.0,
VMware Server 1.0.8 and earlier,

VMware ESXi 3.5 without patches ESXe350-200811401-O-SG,
ESXe350-200903201-O-UG

VMware ESX 3.5 without patches ESX350-200811401-SG,
ESX350-200903201-UG

VMware ESX 3.0.3 without patch ESX303-200811401-BG

VMware ESX 3.0.2 without patch ESX-1006980

NOTE: General Support for Workstation version 5.x ended on 2009-03-19. Users should plan to upgrade to the latest Workstation version 6.x release.

Extended support for ESX 3.0.2 Update 1 ends on 2009-08-08. Users should plan to upgrade to ESX 3.0.3 and preferably to the newest release available.

3. Problem Description

a. Denial of service guest to host vulnerability in a virtual device
A vulnerability in a guest virtual device driver, could allow a guest operating system to crash the host and consequently any virtual machines on that host.
VMware would like to thank Andrew Honig of the Department of Defense for reporting this issue.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2008-4916 to this issue.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.

b. Windows-based host denial of service vulnerability in hcmon.sys
A vulnerability in an ioctl in hcmon.sys could be used to create a denial of service on a Windows-based host. This issue can only be exploited by a privileged Windows account.
VMware would like to thank Nikita Tarakanov for reporting this issue to us.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2009-1146 to this issue.
Note: newly released hosted products (see table in this section) address another potential denial of service in hcmon.sys as well. Also this issue can only be exploited by a privileged Windows account.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2008-3761 to this issue.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.

c. A VMCI privilege escalation on Windows-based hosts or Windows-based guests.
The Virtual Machine Communication Interface (VMCI) is an infrastructure that provides fast and efficient communication between a virtual machine and the host operating system and between two or more virtual machines on the same host.
A vulnerability in vmci.sys could allow privilege escalation on Windows-based machines. This could occur on Windows-based hosts or inside Windows-based guest operating systems.
Current versions of ESX do not support the VMCI interface and hence they are not affected by this vulnerability.
Note: Installing the new hosted releases will not remediate the issue on Windows-based guests. The VMware Tools packages will need to be updated on each Windows-based guest followed by a reboot of the guest system.
VMware would like to thank Nikita Tarakanov for reporting this issue to us.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2009-1147 to this issue.
Refer to VMware KB article 1009826 on the steps that are needed to remediate this vulnerability on Windows-based hosts. This KB article is found at kb.vmware.com/kb/1009826.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability on Windows-based guests (column 4) if a solution is available.

d. VNnc Codec Heap Overflow vulnerabilities
The VNnc Codec assists in Record and Replay sessions. Record and Replay record the dynamic virtual machine state over a period of time.
Two heap overflow vulnerabilities could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on VMware hosted products. For an attack to be successful the user must be tricked into visiting a malicious web page or opening a malicious video file.
VMware would like to thank Aaron Portnoy from TippingPoint DVLabs for reporting these issues to us. TippingPoint has issued the following identifiers: ZDI-CAN-435, ZDI-CAN-436.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has has assigned the names CVE-2009-0909 and CVE-2009-0910 to these issues.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.

e. ACE shared folders vulnerability
The VMware Host Guest File System (HGFS) shared folders feature allows users to transfer data between a guest operating system and the non-virtualized host operating system that contains it.
A vulnerability in ACE shared folders could allow a previously disabled and not removed shared folder in the guest to be enabled by a non ACE Administrator.
VMware would like to thank Emmanouel Kellinis, KPMG London, penetration testing team for reporting this issue to us.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has has assigned the name CVE-2009-0908 to this issue.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.

f. A remote denial of service vulnerability in authd for Windows based hosts.
A vulnerability in vmware-authd.exe could cause a denial of service condition on Windows hosts.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2009-0177 to this issue.
The following table lists what action remediates the vulnerability (column 4) if a solution is available.

g. VI Client Retains VirtualCenter Server Password in Memory
After logging in to VirtualCenter Server with VI Client, the password for VirtualCenter Server might be present in the memory of the VI Client.

Note: This vulnerability is present in VI Client and in order to remediate the vulnerability, you will need to replace VI Client with a fixed version (see below).

VMware would like to thank Craig Marshall for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures Project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2009-0518 to this issue.

To determine if your copy of VI Client is not vulnerable, check the about box under the help menu of VI Client. Your copy is not vulnerable if this box mentions one of the following:
- ESX 2.5.5,
- ESX 3.0,
- VC build number 147704, 147694, or 147633 (or higher).

A VI Client copy that remediates the problem can be obtained from:
- VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4,
- ESXi 3.5 after applying patch ESXe350-200903201-O-UG (this patch is part of the ESXi 3.5 Update 4 release),
- ESX 3.5 after applying patch ESX350-200903201-UG (this patch is part of the ESX 3.5 Update 4 release).

4. Solution

Please review the patch/release notes for your product and version
and verify the md5sum and/or the sha1sum of your downloaded file.

VMware Workstation 6.5.2
------------------------
www.vmware.com/download/ws/
Release notes:
www.vmware.com/support/ws65/doc/releasenotes_ws652.html

For Windows

Workstation for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit
Windows 32-bit and 64-bit .exe
md5sum: 8336586b9f9e5180d5279a0b988e82a6
sha1sum: ccdb6bcb867638e8f4f493bc02c6f70c5ebbb88e

For Linux

Workstation for Linux 32-bit
Linux 32-bit .rpm
md5sum: 69b039c848f6b2c94948928d8e9057bb
sha1sum: 37ca77ef550db932cf7b078fcbd6fa0155e3411e

Workstation for Linux 32-bit
Linux 32-bit .bundle
md5sum: 5d4ccf9c23701d09a671f586a9bb4190
sha1sum: d508111adf479d82049c323b1d0b82200c0ab4dd

Workstation for Linux 64-bit
Linux 64-bit .rpm
md5sum: 19387416e3b597b901dfe84e4a2bcd97
sha1sum: 0726518abc9a77051d991af570774bae1625ff78

Workstation for Linux 64-bit
Linux 64-bit .bundle
md5sum: 56dfc3adcf96701f440b19a8cf06c3df
sha1sum: 04aa442a2b9bf2c67d6266a410b20ef146b93bef


VMware Player 2.5.2
-------------------
www.vmware.com/download/player/
Release notes:
www.vmware.com/support/player25/doc/releasenotes_player252.html

Player for Windows binary
download3.vmware.com/software/vmplayer/VMware-player-2.5.2-156735.exe
md5sum: 01356d729e9b031c8904e9560a02c469

Player for Linux (.rpm)
download3.vmware.com/software/vmplayer/VMware-Player-2.5.2-156735.i386.rpm
md5sum: aa047047b72de7f4b53d9c2128b53bec

Player for Linux (.bundle)
download3.vmware.com/software/vmplayer/VMware-Player-2.5.2-156735.i386.bundle
md5sum: bd51e8f8ef2417080c6d734f6ea9fb87

VMware Player 2.5.2 - 64-bit (.rpm)
download3.vmware.com/software/vmplayer/VMware-Player-2.5.2-156735.x86_64.rpm
md5sum: 5b488b97b5091d3980eb74ec0a5c065b

VMware Player 2.5.2 - 64-bit (.bundle)
download3.vmware.com/software/vmplayer/VMware-Player-2.5.2-156735.x86_64.bundle
md5sum: 25254cd60c4063c2c68a8bf50c2c4869


VMware ACE 2.5.2
----------------
www.vmware.com/download/ace/
Release notes:
www.vmware.com/support/ace25/doc/releasenotes_ace252.html

ACE Management Server Virtual Appliance
AMS Virtual Appliance .zip
md5sum: 430ff7792d9d490d1678fc22b4c62121
sha1sum: 98b74e0dba4214b055c95ccea656bfa2731c3fee

VMware ACE for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit
Windows 32-bit and 64-bit .exe
md5sum: 8336586b9f9e5180d5279a0b988e82a6

ACE Management Server for Windows
Windows .exe
md5sum: 44918519a7bac2501b211c9825ed8268
sha1sum: 97655c824815f7c4e25f6940c708f835ab616da9

ACE Management Server for SUSE Enterprise Linux 9
SLES 9 .rpm
md5sum: 7fcb0409474c7e81accc90f25d80b00e
sha1sum: 385b254930dd6b8c53e3c805653c1fa1b07a6161

ACE Management Server for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
RHEL 4 .rpm
md5sum: 745e3115f8557fa04c2ddaf25320a911
sha1sum: ef75d572325a32a7582dbb4c352541978d3cebeb


VMware Server 2.0.1
-------------------
www.vmware.com/download/server/
Release notes:
www.vmware.com/support/server2/doc/releasenotes_vmserver201.html

For Windows

VMware Server 2
Version 2.0.1 | 156745 - 03/31/09
507 MB EXE image VMware Server 2 for Windows Operating Systems. A
master installer file containing all Windows components of VMware
Server.
md5sum: d0eefaa79e42d13a693c4d732a460ba4

VIX API 1.6 for Windows.
Version 1.6.2 | 156745 - 03/31/09 37 MB EXE image
md5sum: ad531ed3c37c0a50fb915981f83ca133

For Linux

VMware Server 2 for Linux Operating Systems.
Version 2.0.1 | 156745 - 03/31/09 465 MB RPM image
md5sum: eb42331bbd9be30848826b8cab73e0ca

VMware Server 2 for Linux Operating Systems.
Version 2.0.1 | 156745 - 03/31/09 466 MB TAR image
md5sum: be96bc1696f4cef67755bfd2553ce233

VMware Server 2 for Linux Operating Systems 64-bit version.
Version 2.0.1 | 156745 - 03/31/09 434 MB RPM image
md5sum: 697a792c70d50e98a347c06b323bd20b

The core application needed to run VMware Server 2, 64-bit version.
Version 2.0.1 | 156745 - 03/31/09 436 MB TAR image
md5sum: f40498229772910d6a6788b7803f9c38

VIX API 1.6 for Linux.
Version 1.6.2 | 156745 - 03/31/09 17 MB TAR image
md5sum: 2ef6174b90cdd9a2832b57dbe94cfbb1

64-bit VIX API 1.6 for Linux.
Version 1.6.2 | 156745 - 03/31/09 21 MB TAR image
md5sum: 454aeba273f9a89c578223c95b262323


VMware Server 1.0.9
-------------------
www.vmware.com/download/server/
Release notes:
www.vmware.com/support/server/doc/releasenotes_server.html

VMware Server for Windows 32-bit and 64-bit
download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-server-installer-1.0.9-156507.exe
md5sum: 8c650f8a0a0521b69c6aba00d910cfb9

VMware Server Windows client package
download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-server-win32-client-1.0.9-156507.zip
md5sum: c83e673f7422a4f3edaf7d9337cf5d6d

VMware Server for Linux
download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-server-1.0.9-156507.tar.gz
md5sum: ff4b57588514c83b1a828e3b19843ad2

VMware Server for Linux rpm
download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-server-1.0.9-156507.i386.rpm
md5sum: c8fc9e9f948f2807b9f8bfb3ca318f36

Management Interface
download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-mui-1.0.9-156507.tar.gz
md5sum: dbf99faef8bd26e173cf2514d7bea449

VMware Server Linux client package
download3.vmware.com/software/vmserver/VMware-server-linux-client-1.0.9-156507.zip
md5sum: 7e76a481408454a747bb4d076a6e2524


VirtualCenter
-------------
VMware VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 4
www.vmware.com/download/download.do
DVD iso image
md5sum: 4304334ed7662b6a43646e6dde0956d2
Zip file
md5sum: 1306cb9b25e28a06bab84257d7cbf38f
Release Notes
www.vmware.com/support/vi3/doc/vi3_vc25u4_rel_notes.html


ESXi
----
ESXi 3.5 patch ESXe350-200811401-O-SG (guest virtual device driver)
download3.vmware.com/software/vi/ESXe350-200811401-O-SG.zip
md5sum: e895c8cb0d32b722d7820d0214416092
kb.vmware.com/kb/1007508

ESXi 3.5 patch ESXe350-200903201-O-UG (VI Client)
download3.vmware.com/software/vi/ESXe350-200903201-O-UG.zip
md5sum: 45632da28812837bb00cee86af85b8a5
kb.vmware.com/kb/1007992

NOTES: ESXi 3.5 patch ESXe350-200903201-O-UG supercedes
ESXe350-200811401-O-SG

The three ESXi patches for Firmware "I", VMware Tools "T,"
and the VI Client "C" are contained in a single offline "O"
download file.


ESX
---
ESX 3.5 patch ESX350-200811401-SG (guest virtual device driver)
download3.vmware.com/software/vi/ESX350-200811401-SG.zip
md5sum: 988042ce20ce2381216fbe1862c3e66d
kb.vmware.com/kb/1007501

ESX 3.5 patch ESX350-200903201-UG (VI Client)
download3.vmware.com/software/vi/ESX350-200903201-UG.zip
md5sum: 650fa096cf270ec58d38e9ff41c661aa
kb.vmware.com/kb/1007971

ESX 3.0.3 patch ESX303-200811401-BG (guest virtual device driver)
download3.vmware.com/software/vi/ESX303-200811401-BG.zip
md5sum: 26bf687a3483951d1f14ab66edf1d196
kb.vmware.com/kb/1006986

ESX 3.0.2 patch ESX-1006980 (guest virtual device driver)
download3.vmware.com/software/vi/ESX-1006980.tgz
md5sum: 5e73f1585fea3ee770b2df2b94e73ca4
kb.vmware.com/kb/1006980

5. References

CVE numbers
CVE-2008-4916
CVE-2008-3761
CVE-2009-1146
CVE-2009-1147
CVE-2009-0909
CVE-2009-0910
CVE-2009-0908
CVE-2009-0177
CVE-2009-0518

6. Change log

2009-04-03  VMSA-2009-0005
Initial security advisory after hosted product releases on 2009-04-01.
Relevant patches for ESXi, ESX 3.5, ESX 3.0.3, ESX 3.0.2 were released
previously.

7. Contact

E-mail list for product security notifications and announcements:
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

E-mail:  security at vmware.com
PGP key at:
kb.vmware.com/kb/1055

VMware Security Center
www.vmware.com/security

VMware security response policy
www.vmware.com/support/policies/security_response.html