CVE-2021-21988: VMware Workstation ThinPrint JPEG2000 Out-Of-Bounds Read Information Disclosure Vulnerability

Published May 24, 2021
·
Updated

This vulnerability allows local attackers to disclose sensitive information on affected installations of VMware Workstation. An attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target guest system in order to exploit this vulnerability. The specific flaw exists within the ThinPrint component. When parsing JPEG2000 codestreams embedded in EMF files, the process does not properly validate user-supplied data, which can result in a read past the end of an allocated buffer. An attacker can leverage this in conjunction with other vulnerabilities to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code in the context of the hypervisor.

Other sources

VMware Workstation (16.x prior to 16.1.2) and Horizon Client for Windows (5.x prior to 5.5.2) contain out-of-bounds read vulnerability in the Cortado ThinPrint component (JPEG2000 Parser). A malicious actor with access to a virtual machine or remote desktop may be able to exploit these issues leading to information disclosure from the TPView process running on the system where Workstation or Horizon Client for Windows is installed.

Affected Software

4 affected components
VMware Workstation
VMware Workstation>=16.0.0<16.1.2
VMware Horizon Client>=5.0.0<5.5.2
Microsoft Windows

Event History

May 24, 2021
CVE Published
via MITRE·11:35 AM
Data Sourced
via MITRE·11:35 AM
DescriptionWeakness
Mar 4, 2025
Advisory Published
via ZDI·05:30 PM

Frequently Asked Questions

1

What is CVE-2021-21988?

CVE-2021-21988 is a vulnerability in VMware Workstation that allows local attackers to disclose sensitive information.

2

How can the CVE-2021-21988 vulnerability be exploited?

To exploit CVE-2021-21988, an attacker must first obtain the ability to execute low-privileged code on the target guest system.

3

Which software products are affected by CVE-2021-21988?

VMware Workstation versions between 16.0.0 and 16.1.2, and VMware Horizon Client versions between 5.0.0 and 5.5.2 are affected.

4

What is the severity of CVE-2021-21988?

CVE-2021-21988 has a severity rating of 6.5, which is considered medium.

5

How can I fix the CVE-2021-21988 vulnerability?

Update VMware Workstation to a version higher than 16.1.2 or VMware Horizon Client to a version higher than 5.5.2 to fix CVE-2021-21988.

Contact

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