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VirtualBox 7.0.16 - Privilege Escalation

High
Published: Fri May 09 2025 (05/09/2025, 00:00:00 UTC)
Source: Exploit-DB RSS Feed

Description

VirtualBox 7.0.16 - Privilege Escalation

AI-Powered Analysis

AILast updated: 06/11/2025, 21:09:36 UTC

Technical Analysis

The security threat concerns a privilege escalation vulnerability in Oracle VirtualBox version 7.0.16, identified as CVE-2024-21111. The exploit targets Windows x64 systems running this specific VirtualBox version. The vulnerability allows a local attacker to escalate privileges from a standard user to SYSTEM level by exploiting flaws in VirtualBox's handling of certain file system operations and inter-process communication mechanisms. The provided exploit code, written in C, leverages Windows native APIs and advanced techniques such as opportunistic file locks (oplocks), junction points, symbolic links, and manipulation of VirtualBox's VBoxSDS logging directory under C:\ProgramData\VirtualBox. The exploit involves creating and deleting directories and files with specific names (e.g., Config.msi, VBoxSDS.log.11), monitoring directory changes, and overwriting rollback script files (.rbs) to execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges. The code also interacts with COM interfaces (CLSID_VBoxSDS) and uses low-level NT system calls (NtCreateFile, NtSetInformationFile) to bypass normal security checks. The exploit requires no user interaction beyond local execution and does not depend on network access, making it a local privilege escalation attack. The attacker must have local access to the machine but can then gain SYSTEM privileges, potentially compromising the entire host system and any virtual machines running on it. No patch links are currently provided, and no known exploits are reported in the wild yet, but the availability of public exploit code increases the risk of exploitation.

Potential Impact

For European organizations, this vulnerability poses a significant risk, especially those relying on VirtualBox 7.0.16 for virtualization in development, testing, or production environments. Successful exploitation can lead to full system compromise, allowing attackers to bypass security controls, access sensitive data, install persistent malware, or pivot to other networked systems. The integrity and availability of virtualized workloads and host systems can be severely affected. Organizations in sectors with stringent data protection requirements (e.g., finance, healthcare, government) face heightened risks of data breaches and regulatory non-compliance. Additionally, since VirtualBox is often used in multi-tenant or shared environments, this vulnerability could facilitate lateral movement or privilege escalation within corporate networks. The exploit's reliance on local access means insider threats or attackers who have gained initial footholds via other means could leverage this vulnerability to escalate privileges rapidly.

Mitigation Recommendations

1. Immediate upgrade or patching: Although no official patch links are provided yet, organizations should monitor Oracle's advisories closely and apply patches as soon as they become available. 2. Restrict local access: Limit user permissions on systems running VirtualBox to trusted administrators only. Disable or restrict local accounts that do not require VirtualBox access. 3. Monitor and audit: Implement enhanced monitoring for suspicious file system activities, especially in C:\ProgramData\VirtualBox and C:\Config.msi directories. Use endpoint detection and response (EDR) tools to detect exploitation attempts involving oplocks, junction points, or symbolic link manipulations. 4. Harden VirtualBox usage: Avoid running VirtualBox with elevated privileges unnecessarily. Use least privilege principles for VirtualBox services and processes. 5. Application whitelisting: Employ application control to prevent unauthorized execution of unknown binaries or scripts that could exploit this vulnerability. 6. Incident response readiness: Prepare to respond to potential exploitation by having forensic tools ready to analyze privilege escalation attempts and isolate affected systems promptly. 7. User education: Inform local users about the risks of running untrusted code or scripts on hosts with VirtualBox installed.

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Technical Details

Edb Id
52287
Has Exploit Code
true
Code Language
c

Indicators of Compromise

Exploit Source Code

Exploit Code

Exploit code for VirtualBox 7.0.16 - Privilege Escalation

# Exploit Title: VirtualBox 7.0.16 - Privilege Escalation
# Date: 2025-05-06
# Exploit Author: Milad Karimi (Ex3ptionaL)
# Contact: miladgrayhat@gmail.com
# Zone-H: www.zone-h.org/archive/notifier=Ex3ptionaL
# Tested on: Win x64
# CVE : CVE-2024-21111


#include <Windows.h>
#include <Shlwapi.h>
#include <WtsApi32.h>
#include <Msi.h>
#include <PathCch.h>
#include <AclAPI.h>
#include <iostream>
#include "resource.h"
#include "def.h"
#include "FileOplock.h"
#pragma comment(lib, "Msi.lib")
#pragma c
... (14870 more characters)
Code Length: 15,370 characters • Language: C/C++

Threat ID: 68489dfc7e6d765d51d539fa

Added to database: 6/10/2025, 9:05:00 PM

Last enriched: 6/11/2025, 9:09:36 PM

Last updated: 7/31/2025, 9:28:15 PM

Views: 13

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