CVE-2019-5521 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

A vulnerability exists in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion versions prior to specified releases, potentially leading to information disclosure or denial-of-service attacks.

Understanding CVE-2019-5521

What is CVE-2019-5521?

CVE-2019-5521 is an out-of-bounds read vulnerability affecting VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion products.

The Impact of CVE-2019-5521

The vulnerability allows attackers to exploit the pixel shader functionality, potentially resulting in information disclosure or denial-of-service conditions.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-5521

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in VMware products allows for an out-of-bounds read, impacting the pixel shader functionality.

Affected Systems and Versions

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

Exploitation Mechanism

Successful exploitation requires access to a virtual machine with 3D graphics enabled
3D graphics are enabled by default on Workstation and Fusion but not on ESXi

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the necessary security updates provided by VMware
Disable 3D graphics if not required on Workstation and Fusion

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update VMware products to the latest versions
Implement least privilege access controls and network segmentation

Patching and Updates

Refer to VMware's security advisories for specific patch details