CVE-2021-22041 Explained : Impact and Mitigation
Discover how CVE-2021-22041 exposes VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion to code execution risks. Learn the impacted systems, exploitation risks, and mitigation steps.
VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion have been found to contain a double-fetch vulnerability in the UHCI USB controller, potentially allowing a malicious actor with local administrative privileges on a virtual machine to execute code as the virtual machine's VMX process on the host.
Understanding CVE-2021-22041
This section will provide an overview of the vulnerability, its impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies.
What is CVE-2021-22041?
CVE-2021-22041 refers to a double-fetch vulnerability present in VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion, allowing exploitation by a local administrative user on a virtual machine.
The Impact of CVE-2021-22041
The vulnerability could be exploited by a malicious actor with local administrative privileges to execute arbitrary code on the virtual machine's VMX process running on the host.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-22041
Let's delve into the specifics of the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Description
The double-fetch vulnerability in the UHCI USB controller of VMware ESXi, Workstation, and Fusion allows for code execution by an unauthorized user with local administrative privileges.
Affected Systems and Versions
The affected products include VMware ESXi (7.0 U3, 7.0 U2, 7.0 U1, ESXi 6.7, ESXi 6.5), Workstation (16.x), Fusion (12.x), VMware Cloud Foundation (4.x, 3.x).
Exploitation Mechanism
A local malicious actor with administrative privileges on a virtual machine can exploit this vulnerability to gain unauthorized code execution on the host.
Mitigation and Prevention
Explore the steps to secure your systems against CVE-2021-22041.
Immediate Steps to Take
- Apply patches and updates provided by VMware promptly.
- Limit user privileges to reduce the impact of potential exploitation.
- Monitor and restrict network access to affected systems.
Long-Term Security Practices
- Regularly update and maintain system software to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
- Conduct security audits and vulnerability assessments periodically.
- Train personnel on secure practices and incident response protocols.
Patching and Updates
Refer to VMware's security advisory (VMSA-2022-0004) for specific patch details and instructions to mitigate the vulnerability.