Vulnerabilities > CVE-2017-4922 - Information Exposure vulnerability in VMWare Vcenter Server 6.5

047910
CVSS 6.5 - MEDIUM
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
LOW
Privileges required
LOW
Confidentiality impact
HIGH
Integrity impact
NONE
Availability impact
NONE
network
low complexity
vmware
CWE-200
nessus

Summary

VMware vCenter Server (6.5 prior to 6.5 U1) contains an information disclosure issue due to the service startup script using world writable directories as temporary storage for critical information. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow unprivileged host users to access certain critical information when the service gets restarted.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Vmware
1

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Subverting Environment Variable Values
    The attacker directly or indirectly modifies environment variables used by or controlling the target software. The attacker's goal is to cause the target software to deviate from its expected operation in a manner that benefits the attacker.
  • Footprinting
    An attacker engages in probing and exploration activity to identify constituents and properties of the target. Footprinting is a general term to describe a variety of information gathering techniques, often used by attackers in preparation for some attack. It consists of using tools to learn as much as possible about the composition, configuration, and security mechanisms of the targeted application, system or network. Information that might be collected during a footprinting effort could include open ports, applications and their versions, network topology, and similar information. While footprinting is not intended to be damaging (although certain activities, such as network scans, can sometimes cause disruptions to vulnerable applications inadvertently) it may often pave the way for more damaging attacks.
  • Exploiting Trust in Client (aka Make the Client Invisible)
    An attack of this type exploits a programs' vulnerabilities in client/server communication channel authentication and data integrity. It leverages the implicit trust a server places in the client, or more importantly, that which the server believes is the client. An attacker executes this type of attack by placing themselves in the communication channel between client and server such that communication directly to the server is possible where the server believes it is communicating only with a valid client. There are numerous variations of this type of attack.
  • Browser Fingerprinting
    An attacker carefully crafts small snippets of Java Script to efficiently detect the type of browser the potential victim is using. Many web-based attacks need prior knowledge of the web browser including the version of browser to ensure successful exploitation of a vulnerability. Having this knowledge allows an attacker to target the victim with attacks that specifically exploit known or zero day weaknesses in the type and version of the browser used by the victim. Automating this process via Java Script as a part of the same delivery system used to exploit the browser is considered more efficient as the attacker can supply a browser fingerprinting method and integrate it with exploit code, all contained in Java Script and in response to the same web page request by the browser.
  • Session Credential Falsification through Prediction
    This attack targets predictable session ID in order to gain privileges. The attacker can predict the session ID used during a transaction to perform spoofing and session hijacking.

Nessus

NASL familyMisc.
NASL idVMWARE_VCENTER_SERVER_APPLIANCE_VMSA-2017-0013.NASL
descriptionThe version of VMware vCenter Server Appliance installed on the remote host is 6.5 prior to 6.5 Update 1 (6.5 U1). It is, therefore, affected by multiple vulnerabilities : - An insecure library loading issue exists due to the use of the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable to look for specific files or libraries that include the current working directory, which may not be trusted or under user control. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this, by placing a specially crafted library in the path before the installer is run, to inject and execute arbitrary code in the context of the current user. (CVE-2017-4921) - An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the service startup script due to the use of insecure world writable directories for temporary storage of critical information. A local attacker can exploit this to disclose sensitive information. (CVE-2017-4922) - An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the file-based backup feature due to the storage of sensitive information in plaintext. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit this to disclose credentials.(CVE-2017-4923)
last seen2020-06-01
modified2020-06-02
plugin id102084
published2017-07-31
reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/102084
titleVMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 < 6.5 U1 Multiple Vulnerabilities (VMSA-2017-0013)
code
#
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(102084);
  script_version("1.7");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/11/12");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2017-4921", "CVE-2017-4922", "CVE-2017-4923");
  script_bugtraq_id(99997, 100006, 100012);
  script_xref(name:"VMSA", value:"2017-0013");

  script_name(english:"VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 < 6.5 U1 Multiple Vulnerabilities (VMSA-2017-0013)");
  script_summary(english:"Checks the version of VMware vCenter Server Appliance.");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"A virtualization appliance installed on the remote host is affected by
multiple vulnerabilities.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"The version of VMware vCenter Server Appliance installed on the remote
host is 6.5 prior to 6.5 Update 1 (6.5 U1). It is, therefore, affected by
multiple vulnerabilities :

  - An insecure library loading issue exists due to the use
    of the LD_LIBRARY_PATH variable to look for specific
    files or libraries that include the current working
    directory, which may not be trusted or under user
    control. An unauthenticated, remote attacker can exploit
    this, by placing a specially crafted library in the path
    before the installer is run, to inject and execute
    arbitrary code in the context of the current user.
    (CVE-2017-4921)

  - An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the
    service startup script due to the use of insecure world
    writable directories for temporary storage of critical
    information. A local attacker can exploit this to
    disclose sensitive information. (CVE-2017-4922)

  - An information disclosure vulnerability exists in the
    file-based backup feature due to the storage of
    sensitive information in plaintext. An unauthenticated,
    remote attacker can exploit this to disclose
    credentials.(CVE-2017-4923)");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2017-0013.html");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Upgrade to VMware vCenter Server Appliance 6.5 Update 1 (6.5 U1) or
later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:L/Au:S/C:P/I:P/A:P");
  script_set_cvss_temporal_vector("CVSS2#E:U/RL:OF/RC:C");
  script_set_cvss3_base_vector("CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cvss_score_source", value:"CVE-2017-4921");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploit_available", value:"false");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2017/07/27");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2017/07/27");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2017/07/31");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/a:vmware:vcenter_server_appliance");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"Misc.");

  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2017-2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/VMware vCenter Server Appliance/Version", "Host/VMware vCenter Server Appliance/Build");
  script_require_ports("Services/ssh", 22);

  exit(0);
}

include("audit.inc");
include("global_settings.inc");
include("misc_func.inc");

appname = 'VMware vCenter Server Appliance';
version = get_kb_item_or_exit("Host/"+appname+"/Version");
build   = get_kb_item_or_exit("Host/"+appname+"/Build");
port    = 0;
fixversion_str = NULL;

if (version !~ "^6\.5($|[^0-9])")
  audit(AUDIT_NOT_INST, appname + " 6.5.x");

if (version =~ "^6\.5($|[^0-9])")
{
  fixed_main_ver = "6.5.0";
  fixed_build    = 5973321;

  if (int(build) < fixed_build)
    fixversion_str = fixed_main_ver + ' build-'+fixed_build;
}

if (isnull(fixversion_str))
  audit(AUDIT_INST_VER_NOT_VULN, appname, version, build);

report = report_items_str(
  report_items:make_array(
    "Installed version", version + ' build-' + build,
    "Fixed version", fixed_main_ver + ' build-' + fixed_build
  ),
  ordered_fields:make_list("Installed version", "Fixed version")
);
security_report_v4(port:port, severity:SECURITY_WARNING, extra:report);