CVE-2020-3959 : Exploit Details and Defense Strategies
Learn about CVE-2020-3959, a memory leak vulnerability in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion products, potentially leading to a denial-of-service attack. Find out how to mitigate and prevent this security issue.
VMware ESXi, VMware Workstation, and VMware Fusion are affected by a memory leak vulnerability in the VMCI module, potentially leading to a denial-of-service attack.
Understanding CVE-2020-3959
What is CVE-2020-3959?
CVE-2020-3959 is a memory leak vulnerability found in VMware ESXi, VMware Workstation, and VMware Fusion products, allowing a local non-administrative user to crash a virtual machine's vmx process.
The Impact of CVE-2020-3959
The vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious actor with local access to a virtual machine, resulting in a partial denial of service.
Technical Details of CVE-2020-3959
Vulnerability Description
The memory leak vulnerability in the VMCI module of VMware ESXi, VMware Workstation, and VMware Fusion can be abused to crash the vmx process of a virtual machine.
Affected Systems and Versions
- VMware ESXi 6.7 before ESXi670-202004101-SG
- VMware ESXi 6.5 before ESXi650-202005401-SG
- VMware Workstation 15.x before 15.1.0
- VMware Fusion 11.x before 11.1.0
Exploitation Mechanism
A local non-administrative user can exploit the vulnerability to crash the vmx process of a virtual machine, leading to a partial denial of service.
Mitigation and Prevention
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply the necessary security patches provided by VMware.
- Monitor for any unusual system behavior that could indicate exploitation.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and patch all VMware products to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.
Patching and Updates
- Ensure all affected systems are updated with the latest security patches from VMware.