VMSA-2016-0004:VMware product updates address a CRITICAL security issue in the VMware Client Integration Plugin
VMSA-2016-0004
VMware product updates address a critical security issue in the VMware Client Integration Plugin
VMware Security Advisory
1. Summary
VMware vCenter Server, vCloud Director (vCD), vRealize Automation (vRA) Identity Appliance, and the Client Integration Plugin (CIP) updates address a critical security issue.
2. Relevant Releases
vCenter Server 6.0 prior to 6.0 U2
vCenter Server 5.5 U3a, U3b, U3c
vCloud Director 5.5.5
vRealize Automation Identity Appliance 6.2.4
3. Problem Description
a. Critical VMware Client Integration Plugin incorrect session handling
The VMware Client Integration Plugin does not handle session content in a safe way. This may allow for a Man in the Middle attack or Web session hijacking in case the user of the vSphere Web Client visits a malicious Web site.
The vulnerability is present in versions of CIP that shipped with:
- vCenter Server 6.0 (any 6.0 version prior to 6.0 U2)
- vCenter Server 5.5 U3a, U3b, U3c
- vCloud Director 5.5.5
- vRealize Automation Identity Appliance 6.2.4
In order to remediate the issue, both the server side (i.e. vCenter
Server, vCloud Director, and vRealize Automation Identity Appliance) and the client side (i.e. CIP of the vSphere Web Client) will need to be updated.
The steps to remediate the issue are as follows:
A) Install an updated version of:
- vCenter Server
- vCloud Director
- vRealize Automation Identity Appliance
B) After step A), update the Client Integration Plugin on the system from which the vSphere Web Client is used. Updating the plugin on vSphere and vRA Identity Appliance is explained in VMware Knowledge Base article 2145066. Updating the plugin on vCloud Director is initiated by a prompt when connecting the vSphere Web Client to the updated version of vCloud Director.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2016-2076 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.
VMware Product
Product Version
Running on
Replace with/ Apply Patch
* After installing the updated version, the Client Integration Plugin will need to be updated on all systems from which the vSphere Web Client is used to connect to vCenter Server, vCloud Director and vRealize Automation Identity Manager.
** vCloud Director 8.0.0 did not ship with a vulnerable CIP version, andvCloud Director 8.0.1 shipped with the updated version of the CIP.
4. Solution
Please review the patch/release notes for your product andversion and verify the checksum of your downloaded file.
vCenter Server
Downloads and Documentation:
https://www.vmware.com/go/download-vsphere
http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vsphere/55/vsphere-vcenter-server-55u3d-release-notes.html
vCloud Director 5.5.6
Downloads and Documentation:
https://www.vmware.com/go/download/vcloud-director
http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vcd/556/rel_notes_vcloud_director_556.html
VMware vRealize Automation 6.2.4.1
Downloads and Doumentation:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/info/slug/infrastructure_operations_management/vmware_vrealize_automation/6_2
(select "Go to Downloads" and scroll down to "Security Update")
http://pubs.vmware.com/Release_Notes/en/vra/vrealize-automation-624-release-notes.html
5. References
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2016-2076
VMware Knowledge Base article 2145066
kb.vmware.com/kb/2145066
6. Change log
2016-04-14 VMSA-2016-0004
Initial security advisory in conjunction with the release of VMware vSphere 5.5 U3d and vCloud Director 5.5.6 on 2016-04-14.
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:
E-mail: [email protected]
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
Copyright 2016 VMware Inc. All rights reserved.