// For flags

CVE-2019-5512

VMware Workstation 14.1.5 / VMware Player 15 - Host VMX Process COM Class Hijack Privilege Escalation

Severity Score

8.8
*CVSS v3

Exploit Likelihood

*EPSS

Affected Versions

*CPE

Public Exploits

1
*Multiple Sources

Exploited in Wild

-
*KEV

Decision

-
*SSVC
Descriptions

VMware Workstation (15.x before 15.0.3, 14.x before 14.1.6) running on Windows does not handle COM classes appropriately. Successful exploitation of this issue may allow hijacking of COM classes used by the VMX process, on a Windows host, leading to elevation of privilege.

VMware Workstation (versión 15.x anterior a 15.0.3,versión 14.x anterior a 14.1.6) que se ejecuta en Windows no maneja adecuadamente las clases COM. La operación con éxito de este problema puede permitir el secuestro de clases COM utilizadas por el proceso VMX, en un host de Windows, lo que lleva a la escala de privilegios.

The VMX process (vmware-vmx.exe) process configures and hosts an instance of VM. As is common with desktop virtualization platforms the VM host usually has privileged access into the OS such as mapping physical memory which represents a security risk. To mitigate this the VMX process is created with an elevated integrity level by the authentication daemon (vmware-authd.exe) which runs at SYSTEM. This prevents a non-administrator user opening the process and abusing its elevated access. Unfortunately the process is created as the desktop user which results in the elevated process sharing resources such as COM registrations with the normal user who can modify the registry to force an arbitrary DLL to be loaded into the VMX process. Affects VMware Workstation Windows version 14.1.5 (on Windows 10). Also tested on VMware Player version 15.

*Credits: N/A
CVSS Scores
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Privileges Required
Low
User Interaction
None
Scope
Changed
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
High
Availability
High
Attack Vector
Local
Attack Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete
* Common Vulnerability Scoring System
SSVC
  • Decision:-
Exploitation
-
Automatable
-
Tech. Impact
-
* Organization's Worst-case Scenario
Timeline
  • 2019-01-07 CVE Reserved
  • 2019-03-15 CVE Published
  • 2019-03-25 First Exploit
  • 2023-03-08 EPSS Updated
  • 2024-08-04 CVE Updated
  • ---------- Exploited in Wild
  • ---------- KEV Due Date
CWE
CAPEC
Affected Vendors, Products, and Versions
Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vendor Product Version Other Status <-- --> Vendor Product Version Other Status
Vmware
Search vendor "Vmware"
Workstation
Search vendor "Vmware" for product "Workstation"
>= 14.0.0 < 14.1.6
Search vendor "Vmware" for product "Workstation" and version " >= 14.0.0 < 14.1.6"
-
Affected
in Microsoft
Search vendor "Microsoft"
Windows
Search vendor "Microsoft" for product "Windows"
--
Safe
Vmware
Search vendor "Vmware"
Workstation
Search vendor "Vmware" for product "Workstation"
>= 15.0.0 < 15.0.3
Search vendor "Vmware" for product "Workstation" and version " >= 15.0.0 < 15.0.3"
-
Affected
in Microsoft
Search vendor "Microsoft"
Windows
Search vendor "Microsoft" for product "Windows"
--
Safe