VMSA-2016-0001:VMware ESXi, Fusion, Player, and Workstation updates address HIGH guest privilege escalation vulnerability
VMSA-2016-0001
VMware ESXi, Fusion, Player, and Workstation updates address important guest privilege escalation vulnerability
VMware Security Advisory
1. Summary
VMware ESXi, Fusion, Player, and Workstation updates address important guest privilege escalation vulnerability
2. Relevant Releases
VMware ESXi 6.0 without patch ESXi600-201601102-SG
VMware ESXi 5.5 without patch ESXi550-201512102-SG
VMware ESXi 5.1 without patch ESXi510-201510102-SG
VMware ESXi 5.0 without patch ESXi500-201510102-SG
VMware Workstation prior to 11.1.2
VMware Player prior to 7.1.2
VMware Fusion prior to 7.1.2
3. Problem Description
Important Windows-based guest privilege escalation in VMware Tools
A kernel memory corruption vulnerability is present in the VMware Tools "Shared Folders" (HGFS) feature running on Microsoft Windows. Successful exploitation of this issue could lead to an escalation of privilege in the guest operating system.
VMware would like to thank Dmitry Janushkevich from the Secunia Research Team for reporting this issue to us.
Note: This vulnerability does not allow for privilege escalation from the guest operating system to the host. Host memory can not be manipulated from the guest operating system by exploiting this flaw.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2015-6933 to this issue.
Workarounds
Removing the "Shared Folders" (HGFS) feature from previously installed VMware Tools will remove the possibility of exploitation.
Column 4 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
Replace with/ Apply Patch
*After the update or patch is applied, VMware Tools must also be updated in any Windows-based guests that include the "Shared Folders" (HGFS) feature to resolve CVE-2015-6933. The affected "Shared Folders" (HGFS) feature is installed by default on hosted (Workstation, Fusion, Player) products only. Alternatively, version 10.0.0 of VMware Tools is available for independent download and includes the fix.
4. Solution
Please review the patch/release notes for your product and version and verify the checksum of your downloaded file.
VMware ESXi 6.0
Downloads:
https://www.vmware.com/patchmgr/findPatch.portal
Documentation:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2135123
VMware ESXi 5.5
Downloads:
https://www.vmware.com/patchmgr/findPatch.portal
Documentation:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2135796
VMware ESXi 5.1
Downloads:
https://www.vmware.com/patchmgr/findPatch.portal
Documentation:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2126488
VMware ESXi 5.0
Downloads:
https://www.vmware.com/patchmgr/findPatch.portal
Documentation:
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2120210
VMware Workstation 11.1.2
Downloads and Documentation:
https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadworkstation
VMware Player 7.1.2
Downloads and Documentation:
https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadplayer
VMware Fusion 7.1.2
https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadfusion
VMware Tools 10.0.0
Downloads:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=VMTOOLS1000&productId=491
Documentation:
https://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vmwaretools/1000/vmware-tools-1000-release-notes.html
5. References
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2015-6933
6. Change log
2016-01-07 VMSA-2016-0001 Initial security advisory in conjunction with the release of VMware ESXi 6.0 patches on 2016-01-07.
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
fulldisclosure at seclists.org
E-mail: security at vmware.com
PGP key at: https://kb.vmware.com/kb/1055
VMware Security Advisories
http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories
Consolidated list of VMware Security Advisories
http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2078735
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
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