Virtual PC flaw lets hackers bypass DEP, SafeSEH, ASLR

[ilev]

An exploit writer at Core Security Technologies has discovered a serious vulnerability that exposes users of Microsoft?s Virtual PC virtualization software to malicious hacker attacks.

The vulnerability, which is unpatched, essentially allows an attacker to bypass several major security mitigations -- Data Execution Prevention (DEP), Safe Exception Handlers (SafeSEH) and Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) -- to exploit the Windows operating system.

As a result, some applications with bugs that are not exploitable when running in a not-virtualized operating system are rendered exploitable if running within a guest OS in Virtual PC, according to Ivan Arce, chief technology officer at Core.

http://www.coresecurity.com/content/virtual-pc-2007-hypervisor-memory-protection-bug

[itzwolf]

Not good at all... Will it be fixed is the question and how long till it is fixed. Is VPC even maintained anymore?

[hdood]

Not good at all... Will it be fixed is the question and how long till it is fixed. Is VPC even maintained anymore?

Yes. Probably a few weeks. Yes.

[ilev]

Yes. Probably a few weeks. Yes.

Microsoft knows about it for 7 months now. It may take another 7 months to fix.

Meantime : don't use Virtual PC (like xp mode in Win7 ) "We recommend affected users to run all mission critical Windows applications on non-virtualized systems"

or, use a Linux VM

[hdood]

Microsoft knows about it for 7 months now. It may take another 7 months to fix.

Well then. I guess I meant to say 2014.

Meantime : don't use Virtual PC (like xp mode in Win7 ) "We recommend affected users to run all mission critical Windows applications on non-virtualized systems"

or, use a Linux VM

Good advice for everyone. Apart from the somewhat better integration with the host, VMWare Player and VirtualBox are much better than VPC. They're also free.

[-Vivicidal-]

That vulnerability is just scary! I am interested by how the bug even works.

[itzwolf]

Good advice for everyone. Apart from the somewhat better integration with the host, VMWare Player and VirtualBox are much better than VPC. They're also free.

I use VirtualBox and haven't had any issues with it. (Y)