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What is CVE-2014-0983?A medium-severity flaw in VM Virtualbox, explained.

Medium severity1 affected product
The short answer

CVE-2014-0983 is a medium-severity flaw (CVSS 6.9) in VM Virtualbox from Oracle, published on 31 March 2014. It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts its chance of use in the next 30 days at 8.1%. If you run an affected version, plan in the vendor’s fix.

Check if it affects you →How to fix it

Published 31 March 2014. Record last updated 12 April 2025. We keep this page's data up to date.

What it does

What is CVE-2014-0983? In plain terms.

An attacker has to be already on the device without logging in. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

The official description

Multiple array index errors in programs that are automatically generated by VBox/HostServices/SharedOpenGL/crserverlib/server_dispatch.py in Oracle VirtualBox 4.2.x through 4.2.20 and 4.3.x before 4.3.8, when using 3D Acceleration, allow local guest OS users to execute arbitrary code on the Chromium server via certain CR_MESSAGE_OPCODES messages with a crafted index, which are not properly handled by the (1) CR_VERTEXATTRIB4NUBARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib4NubARB function, (2) CR_VERTEXATTRIB1DARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib1dARB function, (3) CR_VERTEXATTRIB1FARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib1fARB function, (4) CR_VERTEXATTRIB1SARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib1sARB function, (5) CR_VERTEXATTRIB2DARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib2dARB function, (6) CR_VERTEXATTRIB2FARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib2fARB function, (7) CR_VERTEXATTRIB2SARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib2sARB function, (8) CR_VERTEXATTRIB3DARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib3dARB function, (9) CR_VERTEXATTRIB3FARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib3fARB function, (10) CR_VERTEXATTRIB3SARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib3sARB function, (11) CR_VERTEXATTRIB4DARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib4dARB function, (12) CR_VERTEXATTRIB4FARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib4fARB function, and (13) CR_VERTEXATTRIB4SARB_OPCODE to the crServerDispatchVertexAttrib4sARB function.

What kind of flaw is it?

  • UnknownUnknown
CVSS 2.0 scoreMedium · 6.9

How an attack on it works

Read straight from its severity rating, translated out of the shorthand.

  • Where an attacker can beAlready on the device
  • How hard it is to pull offSome conditions needed
  • Login needed firstNo login needed
  • What an attacker getsCan read data, change data and take it offline

Severity vector: AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Exploitation

Is CVE-2014-0983 being exploited? Not that we know of.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 8.1%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

Known to be exploitedNoNot on the list of exploited flaws today
Chance of use in the next 30 days8.1%Its EPSS score, from the latest forecast

Timeline

  1. Published
  2. Record last updated
How Precursor Intelligence ranks it
24out of 100Low

CVE-2014-0983 scores 24. Action: Monitor.

We keep the score of every published flaw up to date as the evidence changes. Four things go into the score, and evidence that criminals are actually using it counts most. In order:

  • Evidence it is being exploitedBiggest factor
  • How severe it isStrong factor
  • How widely exposed it isSmaller factor
  • Threat activity around itSmaller factor

85 and above is Critical. Anything confirmed as exploited is always marked for an emergency patch, whatever its score.

When CVE-2014-0983 matches software you track, it lands in your list with its score and the reasons behind it.

See your own ranked list →
Affected products

Who is affected by CVE-2014-0983? One product.

The published record lists 1 product from 1 vendor. If you run one of these, check your version, then go to the fix below.

  • Application

    VM Virtualbox

    by Oracle

    Affected versions
    4.2.04.2.24.2.44.2.64.2.84.2.104.2.124.2.144.2.164.2.184.2.204.3.04.3.24.3.4
Remediation

How do I fix CVE-2014-0983? Four steps.

  1. Check whether you run itCompare your versions with the affected products above. Not sure what you run? Precursor Intelligence can work it out from your public website, or you can pick it from a list.
  2. Apply the vendor’s fixInstall the update named in the vendor’s advisory. We’ve put the advisory first in the list.
  3. If you can’t patch todayFollow any mitigation the vendor publishes, and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet until the update is in.
  4. Keep an eye on itTrack the product and we tell you as soon as we spot this flaw on the list of exploited flaws, or a jump in its exploit likelihood.

References

9 links
Precursor Intelligence

Does CVE-2014-0983 affect you? We'll keep checking.

Looking flaws up one at a time doesn't scale. Tell us what you run once, and we tell you which flaws matter to you, in what order, and keep watching for new ones.

  1. Tell us what you runPick your software from a list, or let us work it out from your website.
  2. We match it to every flawOver 400,000 published flaws, checked against your list.
  3. Ranked by real-world riskA 0 to 100 score, led by evidence criminals are using it.
  4. Told as soon as we knowAn alert by email, in the app or by webhook to your own tools.
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FAQ

Common questions, answered plainly.

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CVE-2014-0983 is a medium-severity flaw in VM Virtualbox from Oracle, published on 31 March 2014. An attacker has to be already on the device without logging in. If it works, the attacker can read data, change data and take it offline.

It scores 6.9 out of 10 on the CVSS severity scale, which is medium. Our risk score for CVE-2014-0983 is 24 out of 100, which is Low. Its action is "Monitor". No sign of exploitation and a low forecast. Patch it in your normal update cycle.

It is not on the list of flaws known to be exploited today. The latest forecast puts the chance of it being used in the next 30 days at 8.1%. That can change at any time, which is why we keep watching.

For VM Virtualbox from Oracle: 4.2.0, 4.2.2, 4.2.4, 4.2.6, 4.2.8, 4.2.10 and 9 more.

Install the update the vendor names in its advisory, linked first under "How do I fix" on this page. If you can't patch today, follow the vendor's mitigation and limit who can reach the affected system from the internet.

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