CVE-2019-5517 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion versions before specified updates have multiple out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in the shader translator, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial-of-service attacks.

Understanding CVE-2019-5517

Before the ESXi670-201904101-SG and ESXi650-201903001 versions, VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion have been found to have vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers with access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled.

What is CVE-2019-5517?

VMware products have out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in the shader translator
Attackers with access to a VM with 3D graphics enabled can exploit these vulnerabilities
Successful exploitation may lead to information disclosure or denial-of-service attacks

The Impact of CVE-2019-5517

Disclosure of sensitive information is possible
Attackers with regular user privileges can cause denial-of-service on their own VMs

Technical Details of CVE-2019-5517

Before the specified updates, VMware products are vulnerable to out-of-bounds read issues in the shader translator.

Vulnerability Description

Multiple out-of-bounds read vulnerabilities in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion

Affected Systems and Versions

ESXi versions 6.7 before ESXi670-201904101-SG and 6.5 before ESXi650-201903001
Workstation versions 15.x before 15.0.3 and 14.x before 14.1.6
Fusion versions 11.x before 11.0.3 and 10.x before 10.1.6

Exploitation Mechanism

Attacker access to a VM with 3D graphics enabled is required for exploitation

Mitigation and Prevention

To mitigate CVE-2019-5517, follow these steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Disable the 3D-acceleration feature

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update VMware products
Implement security best practices
Monitor for any unusual activities

Patching and Updates

Update ESXi to versions ESXi670-201904101-SG or ESXi650-201903001
Update Workstation to versions 15.0.3 or 14.1.6
Update Fusion to versions 11.0.3 or 10.1.6