PT-2008-07: VMware Multiple Products hcmon.sys Denial of Service Vulnerability

Affected Software

VMware Workstation 6.0.x, 6.5.x
VMware Player 2.0.x, 2.5.x
VMware ACE 2.0.x
VMware Server 2.x

Product Link:
http://www.vmware.com

Severity Rating

Severity: Medium
Impact: Denial of Service
Attack Vector: Local

CVSS v2
Base Score: 4.4
Temporal Score: 3.4
Vector: (AV:L/AC:M/Au:S/C:N/I:N/A:C/E:P/RL:O/RC:C)

CVE: CVE-2009-1146

Vulnerability Description

Positive Technologies Research Team has discovered denial of service vulnerabilities in VMware products.

The IOCTL handler in hcmon.sys does not properly validate buffer data associated with the Irp object, which allows local users with administrative priviligies to crash the system.

Solution

Update to the latest product version: vmware.com.

Workstation 6.5.x Windows 6.5.2 build 156735 or later
Workstation 6.0.x Windows upgrade to at least 6.5.2

Player 2.5.x Windows 2.5.2 build 156735 or later
Player 2.0.x Windows upgrade to at least 2.5.2

ACE 2.5.x Windows 2.5.2 build 156735 or later
ACE 2.0.x Windows upgrade to at least 2.5.2

Server 2.x Windows 2.0.1 build 156745 or later

Disclosure Timeline

10.14.2008 - Vendor notified
10.16.2008 - Vendor replied
10.16.2008 - Sent detailed information
03.31.2009 - Vendor released fixed versions
04.06.2009 - Public disclosure

Credits

This vulnerability was discovered by Nikita Tarakanov, Positive Technologies Research Team.

References

http://en.securitylab.ru/lab/PT-2008-07
http://www.ptsecurity.ru/advisory.asp

Complete list of vulnerability reports published by Positive Technologies Research Team:

http://en.securitylab.ru/lab/
http://www.ptsecurity.ru/advisory.asp