# CVE-2017-3561: Privilege escalation in Oracle VM VirtualBox

> A low-privileged attacker with local access can exploit a flaw in Oracle VM VirtualBox to achieve full system takeover.

- **Severity:** High 8.8 (`CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Any signed-in user
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** Yes
- **Published:** 24 Apr 2017
- **Updated:** 4 Oct 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-cqhw-cx8f-6jvx

## What is CVE-2017-3561?

CVE-2017-3561 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Vm Virtualbox, published on 24 Apr 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

Vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component of Oracle Virtualization (subcomponent: Core). Supported versions that are affected are Prior to 5.0.38 and Prior to 5.1.20. Easily "exploitable" vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle VM VirtualBox executes to compromise Oracle VM VirtualBox. While the vulnerability is in Oracle VM VirtualBox, attacks may significantly impact additional products. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle VM VirtualBox. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 8.8 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2017-3561?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Oracle Vm Virtualbox.

## How do I fix CVE-2017-3561?

Upgrade to a fixed version.

## Is CVE-2017-3561 being exploited?

It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-3561 exists.

Public exploit code:

- Oracle VM VirtualBox - Environment and ioctl Unprivileged Host User to Host Kernel Privilege Escalation (exploitdb)

## Other vulnerabilities in Oracle Vm Virtualbox

- [CVE-2016-5605](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2016-5605/): Unspecified vulnerability in the Oracle VM VirtualBox component before 5.1.4 in Oracle Virtualization allows remote attackers to affect conf (critical 9.1)
- [CVE-2018-3294](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-3294/): Privilege escalation in VM VirtualBox (critical 9.0)
- [CVE-2024-21112](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21112/): Privilege escalation in VM VirtualBox (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-21113](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21113/): Privilege escalation in VM VirtualBox (high 8.8)
- [CVE-2024-21114](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-21114/): Privilege escalation in VM VirtualBox (high 8.8)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2017-3561 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2017-3561 is a high-severity vulnerability in Oracle Vm Virtualbox, published on 24 Apr 2017. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2017-3561 exists.

Affected product: Oracle Vm Virtualbox. 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-2017-3561/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3561/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2017-3561
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2017-3561
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2017-3561

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From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2017-3561/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.