VMware Workstation: Untrusted library search path

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200502-18 / VMware
Release Date	February 14, 2005
Latest Revision	May 25, 2006: 03
Impact	normal
Exploitable	local

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
app-emulation/vmware-workstation	< 4.5.2.8848-r5	>= 4.5.2.8848-r5, revision >= 3.2.1.2242-r4	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #81344

Synopsis

VMware may load shared libraries from an untrusted, world-writable directory, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code.

2. Impact Information

Background

VMware Workstation is a powerful virtual machine for developers and system administrators.

Description

Tavis Ormandy of the Gentoo Linux Security Audit Team has discovered that VMware Workstation searches for gdk-pixbuf loadable modules in an untrusted, world-writable directory.

Impact

A local attacker could create a malicious shared object that would be loaded by VMware, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code with the privileges of the user running VMware.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

The system administrator may create the file /tmp/rrdharan to prevent malicious users from creating a directory at that location:

Code Listing 3.1: Workaround

# touch /tmp/rrdharan

Resolution

All VMware Workstation users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.2: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-emulation/vmware-workstation-3.2.1.2242-r4"

4. References

CVE-2005-0444

Updated February 14, 2005

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Security Team
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