bugtraq - Re: VMware GSX Server 2.5.1 / Workstation 4.0 (for Linux systems) vulnerability

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Date: 2 Aug 2003 00:33:41 -0000
From: VMware <vmware-security-alert@...are.com>
To: bugtraq@...urityfocus.com
Subject: Re: VMware GSX Server 2.5.1 / Workstation 4.0 (for Linux systems)
    vulnerability

In-Reply-To: <Pine.LNX.4.55.0307231606160.25752@...l.securityfocus.com>

Description
-----------

The following products have a vulnerability that can allow a
user of the host system to start an arbitrary program with
root privileges. 

This was previously reported in this advisory:
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/330184

This notice announces an additional release that corrects 
this vulnerability.   This release is called:
- VMware Workstation 3.2.1 patch 1

Details/Impact
--------------

By manipulating the VMware Workstation environment variables,
a program such as a shell session with root privileges could
be started when a virtual machine is launched. The user would
then have full access to the host.

VMware strongly urges customers Workstation (for Linux
systems) to upgrade as soon as possible. 

Customers running any version of Workstation (for Windows
operating systems) are not subject to this vulnerability. 

Solution
--------

To correct the vulnerability in VMware Workstation 3.2, VMware
released the following: 

- Workstation 3.2.1 patch 1

Details
-----------

VMware Workstation customers, if covered under the VMware
Workstation Product Upgrade Policy as described at:

http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/pricing.html

are entitled to download and install this updated version from

http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/newstore/download.jsp?ProductCode=WKST3-
LX-ESD

This is available today. 

Upgrade instructions are at

http://www.vmware.com/support/ws3/doc/upgrade_ws.html

Notes
-----

* VMware wishes to thank Paul Szabo of the University of Sydney for 
alerting us
to this vulnerability.

His Web page is at: 
http://www.maths.usyd.edu.au:8000/u/psz/

* VMware has posted a knowledge base article that describes this problem:

http://www.vmware.com/support/kb/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=1039