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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.