VMSA-2011-0008

VMware vCenter Server and vSphere Client security vulnerabilities

1. Summary

VMware vCenter Server directory traversal and information disclosure vulnerabilities. vSphere Client Installer is delivered through an unsigned package.

2. Relevant releases

vCenter Server 4.1 GA
vCenter Server 4.0 Update 2 and earlier
VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 6 and earlier

ESXi 4.1 GA
ESXi 4.0 without patch ESXi400-201103402-SG

ESX 4.1 GA
ESX 4.0 without patch ESX400-201103401-SG

3. Problem Description

a. vCenter Server Directory Traversal vulnerability
A directory traversal vulnerability allows an attacker to remotely retrieve files from vCenter Server without authentication. In order to exploit this vulnerability, the attacker will need to have access to the network on which the vCenter Server host resides.

In case vCenter Server is installed on Windows 2008 or Windows 2008 R2, the security vulnerability is not present.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2011-0426 to this issue.

* vCenter 4.1 and vCenter 4.0 installed on Windows 2008 or Windows 2008 R2 are not affected ** hosted products are VMware Workstation, Player, ACE, Fusion.

b. vCenter Server SOAP ID disclosure
The SOAP session ID can be retrieved by any user that is logged in to vCenter Server. This might allow a local unprivileged user on vCenter Server to elevate his or her privileges.

VMware would like to thank Claudio Criscione for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2011-1788 to this issue.

* hosted products are VMware Workstation, Player, ACE, Fusion.

c. vSphere Client Installer package not digitally signed
The digitally signed vSphere Client installer is packaged in a self-extracting installer package which is not digitally signed. As a result, when you run the install package file to extract and start installing, the vSphere Client installer may display a Windows warning message stating that the publisher of the install package cannot be verified.

The vSphere Client Installer package of the following Product Versions is now digitally signed:

vCenter Server 4.1 Update 1
vCenter Server 4.0 Update 3

ESXi 4.1 Update 1
ESXi 4.0 with patch ESXi400-201103402-SG

ESX 4.1 Update 1
ESX 4.0 with patch ESX400-201103401-SG

An install or update of the vSphere Client from these releases will not present a security warning from Windows. Note: typically the vSphere Client will request an update if the existing client is pointed at a newer version of vCenter or ESX.

VMware Knowledge Base article 1021404 explains how the unsigned install package can be obtained in an alternative, secure way for an environment with VirtualCenter 2.5, ESXi/ESX 3.5 or ESX 3.0.3.

VMware would like to thank Claudio Criscione for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2011-1789 to this issue.

4. Solution

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

vCenter Server 4.1 Update 1
---------------------------
See VMSA-2011-0003 for details.

vCenter Server 4.0 Update 3
--------------------------
http://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_downloads/vmware_vsphere_4/4_0
Release Notes
http://www.vmware.com/support/vsphere4/doc/vsp_vc40_u3_rel_notes.html

File type: .iso
md5sum: b04780df75f70621d0c8794e8773a983
sha1sum: a9f1398306158572ea1c3d202ed8c6ad922e0764

File type: .zip
md5sum: bc8179a639dcc6563d7dbf968095edc7
sha1sum: 61b6dbb1bcf3aa74503e183317a00733b0253faa

VMware vSphere Client
File type: .exe
md5sum: 1b90081e422358c407ad9696c70c70f7
sha1sum: 7ba9043421f8b529b0da08fa83458069ccac0fe9

VirtualCenter Server 2.5 Update 6a
----------------------------------
ttp://downloads.vmware.com/d/info/datacenter_downloads/vmware_infrastructure_3/3_5
Release Notes
http://downloads.vmware.com/support/vi3/doc/vi3_vc25u6_rel_notes.html

File type: .iso
md5sum: de8c246cf136b382b13be1993ca6ca3f
sha1sum: e32ec136425b3fb77afa03d8e6666a6b096debbc

File type: .zip
md5sum: 41bdc78ba9b06a1691635f1a79062f97
sha1sum: 3db04c0da053c05fab15900e127a7b20c80ee8a5

ESXi 4.0
--------
ESXi400-201103001
Download link:
ttps://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/OFFLINE/release-274-20110303-677367/ESXi400-201103001.zip
md5sum: a68ef31414573460cdadef4d81fb95d0
sha1sum: 7155e60962b21b5c295a2e9412ac4a445382db31
ttp://kb.vmware.com/kb/1032823

ESXi400-201103001 contains ESXi400-201103402-SG

ESX 4.0
-------
ESX400-201103001
Download link:
https://hostupdate.vmware.com/software/VUM/OFFLINE/release-273-20110303-574144/ESX400-201103001.zip
md5sum: 5b9a0cfe6c0ff1467c09c8d115910ff8
sha1sum: 8bfb5df8066a01704eaa24e4d8a34f371816904b
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1032822

ESX400-201103001 contains ESX400-201103401-SG

5. References

CVE numbers
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2011-1785
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2011-0426
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2011-1788
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2011-1789

VMware KB 1021404
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/1021404

VMSA-2011-0003
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2011-0003.html

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

6. Change log

2011-05-05 VMSA-2011-0008 Initial security advisory in conjunction with the release of vCenter Server 4.0 Update 3 and VirtualCenter 2.5 Update 6a on 2011-05-05.