SO, I just received this advisory from VMware in my inbox, and I don't quite understand how this is related to ESXi. I'm aware of shared folders when working in VM workstation and fusion, I've done it, but since when is this a feature in ESXi? If it is there, its escaped me all these years of working with the core infrastructure products..
Can someone please shed light on how this advisory effects VMs running on ESXi, and how to use this shared folders feature with VMs running on ESXi.
I do see the bulletin states you would need to have installed the complete version of VM tools, but still, haven't heard of this with ESXi and vCenter... and I can't find any instructions on how to configure it with VMs running on ESXi.
Bulletin details are below:
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VMware Security Advisory
Advisory ID: VMSA-2016-0001
Synopsis: VMware ESXi, Workstation, Player, and Fusion updates
address important guest privilege escalation vulnerability
Issue date: 2016-01-07
Updated on: 2016-01-07 (Initial Advisory)
CVE number: CVE-2015-6933
1. Summary
VMware ESXi, Fusion, Player, and Workstation updates address
important guest privilege escalation vulnerability
2. Relevant Releases
VMware ESXi 6.0 without patch ESXi600-201512102-SG
VMware ESXi 5.5 without patch ESXi550-201512102-SG
VMware ESXi 5.1 without patch ESXi510-201510102-SG
VMware ESXi 5.0 without patch ESXi500-201510102-SG
VMware Workstation prior to 11.1.2
VMware Player prior to 7.1.2
VMWare Fusion prior to 7.1.2
3. Problem Description
Important Windows-based guest privilege escalation in VMware Tools
A kernel memory corruption vulnerability is present in the VMware Tools
"Shared Folders" (HGFS) feature running on Microsoft Windows. Successful
exploitation of this issue could lead to an escalation of privilege in
the guest operating system.
VMware would like to thank Dmitry Janushkevich from the Secunia
Research Team for reporting this issue to us.
Note: This vulnerability does not allow for privilege escalation from
the guest operating system to the host. Host memory can not be
manipulated from the guest operating system by exploiting this flaw.
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has
assigned the identifier CVE-2015-6933 to this issue.
Workarounds
Removing the "Shared Folders" (HGFS) feature from previously installed
VMware Tools will remove the possibility of exploitation.
Column 4 of the following table lists the action required to
remediate the vulnerability in each release, if a solution is
available.
VMware Product Running Replace with/
Product Version on Apply Patch *
============= ======= ======= =================
VMware ESXi 6.0 ESXi
ESXi600-201512102-SG**
VMware ESXi 5.5 ESXi
ESXi550-201512102-SG**
VMware ESXi 5.1 ESXi
ESXi510-201510102-SG**
VMware ESXi 5.0 ESXi
ESXi500-201510102-SG**
VMware Workstation 12.x.x Any not affected
VMware Workstation 11.x.x Any 11.1.2
VMware Player 8.x.x Any not affected
VMware Player 7.x.x Any 7.1.2
VMware Fusion 8.x.x OSX not affected
VMware Fusion 7.x.x OSX 7.1.2