VMSA-2017-0021

VMware ESXi, vCenter Server Appliance, Workstation and Fusion updates address multiple security vulnerabilities

1. Summary

VMware ESXi, Workstation and Fusion updates address multiple security vulnerabilities

2. Relevant Products

• VMware ESXi (ESXi)
  
• VMware vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA)
• VMware Workstation Pro / Player (Workstation) 
  
• VMware Fusion Pro, Fusion (Fusion)
•  

3. Problem Description

a. ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion stack overflow via authenticated VNC session

VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion contain a vulnerability that could allow an authenticated VNC session to cause a stack overflow via a specific set of VNC packets. Successful exploitation of this issue could result in remote code execution in a virtual machine via the authenticated VNC session.

Note: In order for exploitation to be possible in ESXi, VNC must be manually enabled in a virtual machine's .vmx configuration file. In addition, ESXi must be configured to allow VNC traffic through the  built-in firewall.

VMware would like to thank Lilith Wyatt and another member of Cisco Talos for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4941 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.

b. ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion heap overflow via authenticated VNC session

VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion contain a vulnerability that could allow an authenticated VNC session to cause a heap overflow via a specific set of VNC packets resulting in heap corruption. Successful exploitation of this issue could result in remote code execution in a virtual machine via the authenticated VNC session.

Note: In order for exploitation to be possible in ESXi, VNC must be manually enabled in a virtual machine's .vmx configuration file. In addition, ESXi must be configured to allow VNC traffic through the built-in firewall.

VMware would like to thank Lilith Wyatt of Cisco Talos for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4933 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.

c. ESXi Host Client stored cross-site scripting vulnerability

The ESXi Host Client contains a vulnerability that may allow for stored cross-site scripting (XSS). An attacker can exploit this vulnerability by injecting Javascript, which might get executed when other users access the Host Client.

VMware would like to thank Alain Homewood of Insomnia Security for reporting this issue to us.
   
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4940 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.

d. Privilege escalation in vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA)

VMware vCenter Server Appliance (vCSA) contains a local privilege escalation vulnerability via the 'showlog' plugin. Successful exploitation of this issue could result in a low privileged user gaining root level privileges over the appliance base OS.

VMware would like to thank Lukasz Plonka for reporting this issue to us.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the identifier CVE-2017-4943 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.

4. Solution

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

VMware ESXi 6.5  

Downloads:  

https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/patch 

Documentation:  

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2151061

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/51196   

VMware ESXi 6.0 

Downloads:  

https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/patch

Documentation:  

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2151132

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2151134

VMware ESXi 5.5

Downloads:  

https://my.vmware.com/group/vmware/patch

Documentation:

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2150876

http://kb.vmware.com/kb/2150878

vCSA 6.5 U1d
Downloads and Documentation:
https://my.vmware.com/web/vmware/details?downloadGroup=VC65U1D&productId=614&rPId=20189

VMware Workstation Pro 12.5.8

Downloads and Documentation:  

https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadworkstation  

https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/ws_pubs.html  

VMware Workstation Player 12.5.8

Downloads and Documentation:  

https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadplayer  

https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/player_pubs.html

VMware Fusion Pro / Fusion 8.5.9

Downloads and Documentation:  

https://www.vmware.com/go/downloadfusion  

https://www.vmware.com/support/pubs/fusion_pubs.html

5. References

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-4933
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-4940
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-4941

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2017-4943

6. Change log

2017-12-19 VMSA-2017-0021
Initial security advisory in conjunction with the release of vSphere 6.5 patches on 2017-12-19.

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:

[email protected]

[email protected]

[email protected]

E-mail: [email protected]

PGP key at:

https://kb.vmware.com/kb/1055

VMware Security Advisories

http://www.vmware.com/security/advisories

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

VMware Security & Compliance Blog  

https://blogs.vmware.com/security

Twitter

https://twitter.com/VMwareSRC

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