# CVE-2008-3892: Memory corruption in n/a

> Remote attackers can trigger a buffer overflow in VMware ActiveX controls via a malicious webpage, potentially executing arbitrary code or crashing the browser.

- **Severity:** Critical 10.0 (`AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Over the internet
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 3 Sep 2008
- **Updated:** 7 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-889x-p8ww-5fp4

## What is CVE-2008-3892?

CVE-2008-3892 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Vmware Player, published on 3 Sep 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

Buffer overflow in a certain ActiveX control in the COM API in VMware Workstation 5.5.x before 5.5.8 build 108000, VMware Workstation 6.0.x before 6.0.5 build 109488, VMware Player 1.x before 1.0.8 build 108000, VMware Player 2.x before 2.0.5 build 109488, VMware ACE 1.x before 1.0.7 build 108880, VMware ACE 2.x before 2.0.5 build 109488, and VMware Server before 1.0.7 build 108231 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (browser crash) or possibly execute arbitrary code via a call to the GuestInfo method in which there is a long string argument, and an assignment of a long string value to the result of this call.  NOTE: this may overlap CVE-2008-3691, CVE-2008-3692, CVE-2008-3693, CVE-2008-3694, CVE-2008-3695, or CVE-2008-3696.

Weakness: CWE-119 (Improper Restriction of Operations within the Bounds of a Memory Buffer)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2008-3892?

It affects 4 products.


Products: Vmware Ace, Vmware Player, Vmware Server, Vmware Workstation.

## How do I fix CVE-2008-3892?

No fix has been published for CVE-2008-3892 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2008-3892 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-3892 exists.

Public exploit code:

- VMware - COM API ActiveX Remote Buffer Overflow (PoC) (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Vmware Player

- [CVE-2009-3732](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2009-3732/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-3691](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3691/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-3692](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3692/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-3693](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3693/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2008-3694](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3694/): Other in n/a (critical 10.0)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2008-3892 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2008-3892 is a critical memory corruption vulnerability in Vmware Player, published on 3 Sep 2008. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2008-3892 exists.

Affected product: Vmware Player. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3892/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3892/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2008-3892
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2008-3892
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2008-3892

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2008-3892/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.