CVE-2018-17160 : What You Need to Know

CVE-2018-17160 was published on December 4, 2018, and affects FreeBSD versions before 11.2-RELEASE-p6. The vulnerability in bhyve can allow a guest operating system to overwrite memory in the host, potentially leading to arbitrary code execution.

Understanding CVE-2018-17160

Before version 11.2-STABLE(r341486) and 11.2-RELEASE-p6 of FreeBSD, a lack of proper limits checking in bhyve's device models poses a security risk.

What is CVE-2018-17160?

Insufficient bounds checking in a bhyve device model in FreeBSD versions before 11.2-RELEASE-p6 can enable a guest OS to overwrite memory in the host, potentially executing unauthorized code.

The Impact of CVE-2018-17160

This vulnerability may lead to the execution of arbitrary code on the host with root privileges, potentially causing a crash of the bhyve process.

Technical Details of CVE-2018-17160

The technical aspects of this CVE include:

Vulnerability Description

The lack of proper limits checking in a bhyve device model in FreeBSD versions before 11.2-RELEASE-p6.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: FreeBSD
Vendor: FreeBSD
Versions Affected: FreeBSD 11.2 before 11.2-RELEASE-p6

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability allows a guest OS to overwrite memory in the bhyve host, potentially executing arbitrary code on the host with root privileges.

Mitigation and Prevention

To address CVE-2018-17160, consider the following steps:

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the necessary patches provided by FreeBSD promptly.
Monitor FreeBSD security advisories for updates and follow best security practices.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch FreeBSD systems to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Implement proper access controls and monitoring to prevent unauthorized access.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that FreeBSD systems are updated to version 11.2-RELEASE-p6 or later to address this vulnerability effectively.