CVE-2009-0876

Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0.0-2.1.4 - Privilege Escalation via Hardlink Attack

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2009-0876. PoCs published by Sun Microsystems.

AI-analyzed exploit summary This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Sun xVM VirtualBox by creating a malicious shared library (libdl.so.2) that is loaded due to improper library path handling. The library executes a constructor function to escalate privileges to root via setuid(0) and spawns a shell.

Description

Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0.0, 2.0.2, 2.0.4, 2.0.6r39760, 2.1.0, 2.1.2, and 2.1.4r42893 on Linux allows local users to gain privileges via a hardlink attack, which preserves setuid/setgid bits on Linux, related to DT_RPATH:$ORIGIN.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC VERIFIED
by Sun Microsystems · textlocallinux
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/32848

This exploit leverages a local privilege escalation vulnerability in Sun xVM VirtualBox by creating a malicious shared library (libdl.so.2) that is loaded due to improper library path handling. The library executes a constructor function to escalate privileges to root via setuid(0) and spawns a shell.

Classification
Working Poc 100%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Trivial
Reliability
Reliable
Target: Sun xVM VirtualBox 2.0, 2.1 (Linux)
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Local access to the system · VirtualBox binary with setuid root · Ability to compile and place a malicious shared library
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 16, 2026 Full analysis →

References (11)

Core 11
Core References
Exploit vdb-entry x_refsource_bid
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/34080
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/49193
Patch, Vendor Advisory vdb-entry x_refsource_vupen
http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2009/0674
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/03/15/1
Issue Tracking x_refsource_confirm
https://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=260331
Mailing List mailing-list x_refsource_mlist
http://www.openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2009/03/17/2
Patch, Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm
http://www.virtualbox.org/ticket/3444
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1021841
Vendor Advisory third-party-advisory x_refsource_secunia
http://secunia.com/advisories/34232
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_osvdb
http://osvdb.org/52580
Patch, Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_sunalert
http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-66-254568-1

Scores

EPSS 0.0081
EPSS Percentile 52.4%

Details

CWE
CWE-59
Status published
Products (7)
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.0.0
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.0.2
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.0.4
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.0.6r39760
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.1.0
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.1.2
sun/xvm_virtualbox 2.1.4r42893
Published Mar 12, 2009
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026