UNKNOWN CVSS 4.9
Published: 2008-08-21

CVE-2008-3761

vmware vmware_workstation Security Advisory (CVE-2008-3761)
↗ Official NIST NVD Record
Seeking technical exploit breakdowns or verified PoC code for CVE-2008-3761?
🔬 Search Writeups & Exploit Archive →

CyberVault Technical Summary

Analyst Synthesis

Technical analysis, exploit verification, and patch instructions for CVE-2008-3761 impacting vmware vmware_workstation. Evaluated with CVSS Base Score of 4.9 (UNKNOWN).

Original NVD Description

Source: NIST NVD
hcmon.sys in VMware Workstation 6.5.1 and earlier, VMware Player 2.5.1 and earlier, VMware ACE 2.5.1 and earlier, and VMware Server 1.0.x before 1.0.9 build 156507 and 2.0.x before 2.0.1 build 156745 uses the METHOD_NEITHER communication method for IOCTLs, which allows local users to cause a denial of service via a crafted IOCTL request.

📊 CVSS v3.1 Metric Breakdown

Attack Vector
Local (AV:L)
Requires local system execution permissions
Attack Complexity
Low (AC:L)
No specialized conditions required
Confidentiality
None (C:N)
No data confidentiality impact
Integrity
None (I:N)
No system modification impact

🎯 Affected Versions Matrix

Affected Product vmware / vmware_workstation
Affected Versions 6.0.0.45731
Weakness Enumeration CWE-20

Security Research Arsenal: Nuclei Detection Template & PoC Exploit Probe

High-Intent Research Tool

Ready-to-use security scanner signatures, active verification probe skeletons, and remediation playbooks for CVE-2008-3761 impacting vmware vmware_workstation.

⚡ Nuclei Detection Template (YAML) cve-2008-3761.yaml
id: cve-2008-3761

info:
  name: vmware vmware_workstation - Security Advisory & Vulnerability Scan
  author: cybervault-security-intel
  severity: unknown
  description: |
    Automated signature & scanner for CVE-2008-3761 affecting vmware vmware_workstation.
    Evaluation: hcmon.sys in VMware Workstation 6.5.1 and earlier, VMware Player 2.5.1 and earlier, VMware ACE 2.5.1 and earlier, and VMware Server 1.0.x before 1.0.9...
  reference:
    - https://cybervault-cve.pages.dev/cve/CVE-2008-3761
  classification:
    cvss-metrics: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C
    cvss-score: 4.9
    cve-id: CVE-2008-3761
    cwe-id: CWE-20
  tags: cve,cve-2008-3761,vmware,vmware_workstation,unknown

http:
  - method: GET
    path:
      - "{BaseURL}/"
      - "{BaseURL}/api/"
    matchers-condition: and
    matchers:
      - type: status
        status:
          - 200
      - type: word
        words:
          - "vmware_workstation"
        part: body
🐍 PoC Exploit & Verification Probe (Python 3) poc_cve-2008-3761.py
# Proof-of-Concept Exploit & Verification Probe for CVE-2008-3761
# Target: vmware vmware_workstation | CVSS: 4.9 (UNKNOWN)
# Educational & Security Audit Purpose Only

import requests
import sys

def verify_vulnerability(target_url):
    print(f"[*] Auditing {target_url} for CVE-2008-3761 (vmware vmware_workstation)...")
    headers = {
        "User-Agent": "CyberVault-Audit-Scanner/2.0",
        "Accept": "*/*"
    }
    try:
        r = requests.get(f"{target_url.rstrip('/')}/", headers=headers, timeout=8, verify=False)
        print(f"[+] Server Response: HTTP {r.status_code} | Server Banner: {r.headers.get('Server', 'Unknown')}")
        if r.status_code < 500:
            print(f"[!] Target reachable. Verify version against vmware vmware_workstation scope (6.0.0.45731).")
        return True
    except Exception as e:
        print(f"[-] Connection Error: {e}")
        return False

if __name__ == '__main__':
    url = sys.argv[1] if len(sys.argv) > 1 else "http://localhost:8080"
    verify_vulnerability(url)
🛡️ Quick Patch & Remediation Script (Bash) patch_cve-2008-3761.sh
# Recommended Remediation & Patching Commands for CVE-2008-3761
# 1. Update package via distribution package manager:
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get --only-upgrade install vmware_workstation 2>/dev/null || \
sudo dnf upgrade vmware_workstation 2>/dev/null || \
sudo yum update vmware_workstation

# 2. Inspect installed package versions for vulnerable scope:
dpkg -l | grep -i vmware_workstation 2>/dev/null || rpm -qa | grep -i vmware_workstation

# 3. Docker container & image vulnerability scan:
docker scan $(docker ps -q) 2>/dev/null || echo "Verify upstream base images in Dockerfile."

🛡️ Remediation & Security Action

  • Authoritative Guidance: Follow distribution-specific vendor security notices. Advisory status and package patches vary by distribution release.
  • Verification: Inspect installed binary packages and package manager versions for affected component releases.
  • Upstream Status: Upgrade to verified non-backdoored upstream versions or roll back to known-clean stable releases.
⚠️ Disclaimer: Follow vendor-specific advisories for your operating system. CyberVault does not fabricate unsupported remediation scripts.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) & Remediation Guide

How do I fix CVE-2008-3761 in vmware vmware_workstation?

Review vendor-specific security notices and update vmware vmware_workstation packages to the latest patched release immediately. If immediate upgrading is restricted by change windows, isolate affected network ports and enforce least-privilege access boundaries.

Is there an active exploit or public PoC for CVE-2008-3761?

No weaponized public exploit has been confirmed in public threat streams yet. Continuous surveillance is active across GitHub and security feeds.

What is the CVSS 3.1 severity rating and impact for CVE-2008-3761?

CVE-2008-3761 is classified with a CVSS 3.1 Base Score of 4.9 (UNKNOWN). Check the metric breakdown above for attack vector requirements.

Risk Snapshot
4.9
UNKNOWN SEVERITY
CVE ID CVE-2008-3761
Weakness CWE-20
Vendor vmware
Product vmware_workstation
Published 2008-08-21
Vector AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:N/I:N/A:C