CVE-2024-22251 - Out-of-Bounds Read Vulnerability Found in VMware Workstation and Fusion's USB CCID (Chip Card Interface Device)

Recently, a high-severity vulnerability, CVE-2024-22251, has been discovered in VMware Workstation and Fusion which could enable a local attacker to trigger an out-of-bounds read and potentially gain access to sensitive information. This vulnerability is specifically found in the USB CCID component, or chip card interface device, allowing for unauthorized information disclosure.

In this post, we will dig deep into the details of CVE-2024-22251, analyze a code snippet, provide links to original references, and discuss potential exploitation methods.

Code Snippet

// Example of out-of-bounds read in USB CCID (chip card interface device)
int process_packet(unsigned char *data, size_t data_len) {
  unsigned char length_field; 
  size_t actual_length;

  if (data_len < 1) {
    return ERR_BAD_PACKET;
  }

  length_field = data[];
  actual_length = data_len - 1;

  if (length_field != actual_length) {
    return ERR_BAD_LENGTH;
  }

  return read_from_array(data + 1, length_field); // potential out-of-bounds read
}

Detailing the Vulnerability

This vulnerability primarily affects VMware Fusion versions prior to 12.2. and VMware Workstation versions prior to 16.2.. The out-of-bounds read vulnerability is localized in the USB CCID (chip card interface device), which enables smart card readers to be connected to virtual machines (VMs) running on the aforementioned VMware products.

If a malicious actor gains local administrative privileges on a virtual machine, they could potentially exploit this flaw to cause an out-of-bounds read, thus gaining access to memory contents that contain sensitive information.

Original References

1. https://www.vmware.com/security/advisories/VMSA-2024-0004.html - Official VMware security advisory providing a brief description of the vulnerability along with affected product versions and patch information.
2. https://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2024-22251 - CVE details page on MITRE, providing a summary of the vulnerability, affected software products, and references to related resources.
3. https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-22251 - National Vulnerability Database (NVD) entry for CVE-2024-22251, containing detailed information on affected software versions, CVSS v3.1 base score calculation, and vulnerability descriptions.

Possible Exploitation

Considering that the attacker would already need to possess local administrative privileges to exploit this vulnerability, the primary risk associated with CVE-2024-22251 is the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information within the targeted virtual machine environment.

Attackers exploiting this vulnerability could potentially gain access to sensitive files, passwords, or other critical information that could further compromise the security and integrity of the virtual machine or additional VMs in the same environment.

Mitigation and Patching

VMware has released patches for both VMware Fusion and VMware Workstation to address this out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the USB CCID component. Users are encouraged to update their software to the latest patched versions:

VMware Workstation: Update to version 16.2. or later

By applying these patches, users can ensure that their VMware environments are resistant to exploitation by attacks targeting CVE-2024-22251 and maintain overall system security.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-22251 is a high-severity out-of-bounds read vulnerability in VMware Workstation and Fusion's USB CCID (chip card interface device) that could potentially lead to unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. To mitigate the risk of exploitation, users should promptly apply the appropriate patches provided by VMware and ensure they are running the most recent, secure versions of their VMware products.

Timeline

Published on: 02/29/2024 01:44:05 UTC
Last modified on: 02/29/2024 13:49:29 UTC