Vulnerabilities > CVE-2019-5536 - Improper Input Validation vulnerability in VMWare Esxi, Fusion and Workstation

047910
CVSS 3.5 - LOW
Attack vector
NETWORK
Attack complexity
MEDIUM
Privileges required
SINGLE
Confidentiality impact
NONE
Integrity impact
NONE
Availability impact
PARTIAL
network
vmware
CWE-20
nessus
NVD
Published: 2019-10-28
Updated: 2021-07-21

Summary

VMware ESXi (6.7 before ESXi670-201908101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201910401-SG), Workstation (15.x before 15.5.0) and Fusion (11.x before 11.5.0) contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM. Exploitation of this issue require an attacker to have access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled. It is not enabled by default on ESXi and is enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion.

Vulnerable Configurations

Part Description Count
Application
Vmware
18
OS
Vmware
125

Common Weakness Enumeration (CWE)

Common Attack Pattern Enumeration and Classification (CAPEC)

  • Buffer Overflow via Environment Variables
    This attack pattern involves causing a buffer overflow through manipulation of environment variables. Once the attacker finds that they can modify an environment variable, they may try to overflow associated buffers. This attack leverages implicit trust often placed in environment variables.
  • Server Side Include (SSI) Injection
    An attacker can use Server Side Include (SSI) Injection to send code to a web application that then gets executed by the web server. Doing so enables the attacker to achieve similar results to Cross Site Scripting, viz., arbitrary code execution and information disclosure, albeit on a more limited scale, since the SSI directives are nowhere near as powerful as a full-fledged scripting language. Nonetheless, the attacker can conveniently gain access to sensitive files, such as password files, and execute shell commands.
  • Cross Zone Scripting
    An attacker is able to cause a victim to load content into their web-browser that bypasses security zone controls and gain access to increased privileges to execute scripting code or other web objects such as unsigned ActiveX controls or applets. This is a privilege elevation attack targeted at zone-based web-browser security. In a zone-based model, pages belong to one of a set of zones corresponding to the level of privilege assigned to that page. Pages in an untrusted zone would have a lesser level of access to the system and/or be restricted in the types of executable content it was allowed to invoke. In a cross-zone scripting attack, a page that should be assigned to a less privileged zone is granted the privileges of a more trusted zone. This can be accomplished by exploiting bugs in the browser, exploiting incorrect configuration in the zone controls, through a cross-site scripting attack that causes the attackers' content to be treated as coming from a more trusted page, or by leveraging some piece of system functionality that is accessible from both the trusted and less trusted zone. This attack differs from "Restful Privilege Escalation" in that the latter correlates to the inadequate securing of RESTful access methods (such as HTTP DELETE) on the server, while cross-zone scripting attacks the concept of security zones as implemented by a browser.
  • Cross Site Scripting through Log Files
    An attacker may leverage a system weakness where logs are susceptible to log injection to insert scripts into the system's logs. If these logs are later viewed by an administrator through a thin administrative interface and the log data is not properly HTML encoded before being written to the page, the attackers' scripts stored in the log will be executed in the administrative interface with potentially serious consequences. This attack pattern is really a combination of two other attack patterns: log injection and stored cross site scripting.
  • Command Line Execution through SQL Injection
    An attacker uses standard SQL injection methods to inject data into the command line for execution. This could be done directly through misuse of directives such as MSSQL_xp_cmdshell or indirectly through injection of data into the database that would be interpreted as shell commands. Sometime later, an unscrupulous backend application (or could be part of the functionality of the same application) fetches the injected data stored in the database and uses this data as command line arguments without performing proper validation. The malicious data escapes that data plane by spawning new commands to be executed on the host.

Nessus

  • NASL familyVMware ESX Local Security Checks
    NASL idVMWARE_VMSA-2019-0019.NASL
    descriptionESXi shader denial-of-service vulnerability - CVE-2019-5536 VMware ESXi, Workstation and Fusion contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM. A local attacker with non-administrative access on the guest machine may exploit this issue to execute code on the host. This issue can only be exploited if a valid sound back-end is not connected.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id130346
    published2019-10-28
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/130346
    titleVMSA-2019-0019 : Denial-of-service vulnerability
    code
    #
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#
# The descriptive text and package checks in this plugin were  
# extracted from VMware Security Advisory 2019-0019. 
# The text itself is copyright (C) VMware Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(130346);
  script_version("1.3");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/12/17");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2019-5536");
  script_xref(name:"VMSA", value:"2019-0019");

  script_name(english:"VMSA-2019-0019 : Denial-of-service vulnerability");
  script_summary(english:"Checks esxupdate output for the patches");

  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"synopsis", 
    value:
"The remote VMware ESXi host is missing one or more security-related
patches."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"description", 
    value:
"ESXi shader denial-of-service vulnerability - CVE-2019-5536

VMware ESXi, Workstation and Fusion contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality.

Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM.

A local attacker with non-administrative access on the guest machine may exploit this issue to execute code on the host. This issue can only be exploited if a valid sound back-end is not connected."
  );
  script_set_attribute(
    attribute:"see_also",
    value:"http://lists.vmware.com/pipermail/security-announce/2019/000474.html"
  );
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:"Apply the missing patches.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:N/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:N/I:N/A:H");
  script_set_cvss3_temporal_vector("CVSS:3.0/E:U/RL:O/RC:C");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"exploitability_ease", value:"No known exploits are available");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_type", value:"local");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:vmware:esxi:6.5");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"cpe", value:"cpe:/o:vmware:esxi:6.7");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2019/10/28");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2019/10/24");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2019/10/28");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"generated_plugin", value:"current");
  script_end_attributes();

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_copyright(english:"This script is Copyright (C) 2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.");
  script_family(english:"VMware ESX Local Security Checks");

  script_dependencies("ssh_get_info.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "Host/VMware/release", "Host/VMware/version");
  script_require_ports("Host/VMware/esxupdate", "Host/VMware/esxcli_software_vibs");

  exit(0);
}


include("audit.inc");
include("vmware_esx_packages.inc");


if (!get_kb_item("Host/local_checks_enabled")) audit(AUDIT_LOCAL_CHECKS_NOT_ENABLED);
if (!get_kb_item("Host/VMware/release")) audit(AUDIT_OS_NOT, "VMware ESX / ESXi");
if (
  !get_kb_item("Host/VMware/esxcli_software_vibs") &&
  !get_kb_item("Host/VMware/esxupdate")
) audit(AUDIT_PACKAGE_LIST_MISSING);


init_esx_check(date:"2019-10-24");
flag = 0;


if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.5", vib:"VMware:esx-base:6.5.0-3.105.14874964")) flag++;
if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.5", vib:"VMware:esx-tboot:6.5.0-3.105.14874964")) flag++;
if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.5", vib:"VMware:vsan:6.5.0-3.105.14404766")) flag++;
if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.5", vib:"VMware:vsanhealth:6.5.0-3.105.14404767")) flag++;

if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.7", vib:"VMware:esx-base:6.7.0-2.69.14141615")) flag++;
if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.7", vib:"VMware:esx-update:6.7.0-2.69.14141615")) flag++;
if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.7", vib:"VMware:vsan:6.7.0-2.69.13808269")) flag++;
if (esx_check(ver:"ESXi 6.7", vib:"VMware:vsanhealth:6.7.0-2.69.13808270")) flag++;


if (flag)
{
  if (report_verbosity > 0) security_note(port:0, extra:esx_report_get());
  else security_note(0);
  exit(0);
}
else audit(AUDIT_HOST_NOT, "affected");
  • NASL familyMacOS X Local Security Checks
    NASL idMACOSX_FUSION_VMSA_2019_0019.NASL
    descriptionVMware ESXi (6.7 before ESXi670-201908101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201910401-SG), Workstation (15.x before 15.5.0) and Fusion (11.x before 11.5.0) contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM. Exploitation of this issue require an attacker to have access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled. It is not enabled by default on ESXi and is enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id130454
    published2019-11-01
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/130454
    titleVMware Fusion < 11.5.0 Vulnerability (VMSA-2019-0019)
    code
    #
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(130454);
  script_version("1.3");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/11/08");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2019-5536");
  script_xref(name:"VMSA", value:"2019-0019");
  script_xref(name:"IAVA", value:"2019-A-0403");

  script_name(english:"VMware Fusion < 11.5.0 Vulnerability (VMSA-2019-0019)");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"A virtualization application installed on the remote macOS or Mac OS X host is affected by denial of service");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"VMware ESXi (6.7 before ESXi670-201908101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201910401-SG), Workstation (15.x before 15.5.0) and Fusion (11.x before 11.5.0) contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM. Exploitation of this issue require an attacker to have access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled. It is not enabled by default on ESXi and is enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2019-0019.html");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Update to VMware Fusion version 11.5.0, or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:N/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:N/I:N/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-2019-5536");

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

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2019/10/24");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2019/10/24");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2019/11/01");

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

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"MacOS X Local Security Checks");

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

  script_dependencies("macosx_fusion_detect.nasl");
  script_require_keys("Host/local_checks_enabled", "installed_sw/VMware Fusion");

  exit(0);
}

include('vcf.inc');


app_info = vcf::get_app_info(app:'VMware Fusion');

constraints = [
  { 'fixed_version' : '11.5.0' }
];

vcf::check_version_and_report(app_info:app_info, constraints:constraints, severity:SECURITY_NOTE);
  • NASL familyGeneral
    NASL idVMWARE_WORKSTATION_VMSA_2019_0019.NASL
    descriptionVMware ESXi (6.7 before ESXi670-201908101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201910401-SG), Workstation (15.x before 15.5.0) and Fusion (11.x before 11.5.0) contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM. Exploitation of this issue require an attacker to have access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled. It is not enabled by default on ESXi and is enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion.
    last seen2020-06-01
    modified2020-06-02
    plugin id130453
    published2019-11-01
    reporterThis script is Copyright (C) 2019 and is owned by Tenable, Inc. or an Affiliate thereof.
    sourcehttps://www.tenable.com/plugins/nessus/130453
    titleVMware Workstation < 15.5.0 Vulnerability (VMSA-2019-0019)
    code
    #
# (C) Tenable Network Security, Inc.
#

include("compat.inc");

if (description)
{
  script_id(130453);
  script_version("1.3");
  script_cvs_date("Date: 2019/11/08");

  script_cve_id("CVE-2019-5536");
  script_xref(name:"VMSA", value:"2019-0019");
  script_xref(name:"IAVA", value:"2019-A-0403");

  script_name(english:"VMware Workstation < 15.5.0 Vulnerability (VMSA-2019-0019)");

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"synopsis", value:
"A virtualization application installed on the remote Windows host is affected by a denial of service");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"description", value:
"VMware ESXi (6.7 before ESXi670-201908101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201910401-SG), Workstation (15.x before 15.5.0) and Fusion (11.x before 11.5.0) contain a denial-of-service vulnerability in the shader functionality. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow attackers with normal user privileges to create a denial-of-service condition on their own VM. Exploitation of this issue require an attacker to have access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled. It is not enabled by default on ESXi and is enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion.");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"see_also", value:"https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2019-0019.html");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"solution", value:
"Update to VMware Workstation version 15.5.0, or later.");
  script_set_cvss_base_vector("CVSS2#AV:N/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:N/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:N/I:N/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-2019-5536");

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

  script_set_attribute(attribute:"vuln_publication_date", value:"2019/10/24");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"patch_publication_date", value:"2019/10/24");
  script_set_attribute(attribute:"plugin_publication_date", value:"2019/11/01");

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

  script_category(ACT_GATHER_INFO);
  script_family(english:"General");

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

  script_dependencies("vmware_workstation_detect.nasl", "vmware_workstation_linux_installed.nbin");
  script_require_keys("installed_sw/VMware Workstation");

  exit(0);
}

include('vcf.inc');

if (get_kb_item("SMB/Registry/Enumerated")) win_local = TRUE;

app_info = vcf::get_app_info(app:'VMware Workstation', win_local:win_local);

constraints = [
  { 'fixed_version' : '15.5.0' }
];

vcf::check_version_and_report(app_info:app_info, constraints:constraints, severity:SECURITY_NOTE);

Talos

idTALOS-2019-0848
last seen2019-11-07
published2019-10-28
reporterTalos Intelligence
sourcehttp://www.talosintelligence.com/vulnerability_reports/TALOS-2019-0848
titleVMware Fusion 11 Shader Functionality Denial Of Service

References