CVE-2008-3431

HIGHNVD 8.89.0▲
EchelonGraph scoreHIGH confidence

Score elevated to 9.0 because this CVE is listed on the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog (added 2022-03-03), indicating real-world exploitation has been confirmed by US federal agencies. NVD baseline CVSS 8.8 retained for reference. Confidence: HIGH.

Triggered by: CISA KEV (actively exploited)
Sources: cisa_kev, epss, ghsa, nvd
Trending — 4 sources updated this weekExploited in the wild
8.8
EchelonGraph verdictPatch nowTreat as an emergency — this is being exploited.
  • Actively exploited in the wild (CISA-KEV)
CISA-KEV: ExploitedEPSS: 7%CVSS: 8.8Exploit: NoneExposed: 0

No vendor fix yet — apply a workaround or compensating control (WAF / firewall / segmentation) and watch for a patch.

The VBoxDrvNtDeviceControl function in VBoxDrv.sys in Sun xVM VirtualBox before 1.6.4 uses the METHOD_NEITHER communication method for IOCTLs and does not properly validate a buffer associated with the Irp object, which allows local users to gain privileges by opening the \\.\VBoxDrv device and calling DeviceIoControl to send a crafted kernel address.

CVSS v3
8.8
EG Score
9.0(high)
EPSS
93.4%
KEV
⚠ Exploited

Published

August 5, 2008

Last Modified

April 22, 2026

Advisory Details (7)

Auto-updated May 2, 2026
🔬 Proof of concept available. No patch confirmed yet.
generic

IBM X-Force Exchange

https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/44202
generic

VUPEN Security - Vulnerability Research and Intelligence

http://www.vupen.com/english/advisories/2008/2293
generic
http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/30481
generic
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/495095/100/0/threaded
generic

Oracle VirtualBox

http://virtualbox.org/wiki/Changelog
generic🟡 PoC Available

Sun xVM VirtualBox Privilege Escalation Vulnerability - CXSecurity.com

http://securityreason.com/securityalert/4107
generic

About Secunia Research | Flexera

http://secunia.com/advisories/31361

Data Freshness Timeline

(refreshed 0× in last 7d / 0× in last 30d)

Each row is a source pipeline that fetched or updated this CVE on that date, with what changed. For example, "NVD update" means NVD published or revised its analysis for this CVE; "MITRE cvelistV5" means we ingested or refreshed it from the CNA feed. Most recent first.

  1. 2026-07-14 03:13 UTCEG score recompute
  2. 2026-07-14 03:13 UTCGHSA enrichment
  3. 2026-07-13 23:20 UTCEG score recompute
  4. 2026-07-13 23:20 UTCGHSA enrichment
  5. 2026-07-13 22:25 UTCEPSS rescore
  6. 2026-07-13 19:27 UTCEG score recompute
  7. 2026-07-13 19:27 UTCGHSA enrichment
  8. 2026-07-13 17:07 UTCCISA KEV update
  9. 2026-07-13 15:34 UTCEG score recompute
  10. 2026-07-13 15:34 UTCGHSA enrichment
  11. 2026-07-13 11:42 UTCEG score recompute
  12. 2026-07-13 11:42 UTCGHSA enrichment
  13. 2026-07-13 07:49 UTCEG score recompute
  14. 2026-07-13 07:49 UTCGHSA enrichment
  15. 2026-07-13 03:56 UTCEG score recompute
  16. 2026-07-13 03:56 UTCGHSA enrichment
  17. 2026-07-13 00:02 UTCEG score recompute
  18. 2026-07-13 00:02 UTCGHSA enrichment
  19. 2026-07-12 20:09 UTCEG score recompute
  20. 2026-07-12 20:09 UTCGHSA enrichment
  21. 2026-07-12 16:16 UTCEG score recompute
  22. 2026-07-12 16:16 UTCGHSA enrichment
  23. 2026-07-12 12:23 UTCEG score recompute
  24. 2026-07-12 12:23 UTCGHSA enrichment
  25. 2026-07-12 08:30 UTCEG score recompute
Show 75 more
  1. 2026-07-12 08:30 UTCGHSA enrichment
  2. 2026-07-12 04:37 UTCEG score recompute
  3. 2026-07-12 04:37 UTCGHSA enrichment
  4. 2026-07-12 00:44 UTCEG score recompute
  5. 2026-07-12 00:44 UTCGHSA enrichment
  6. 2026-07-11 20:50 UTCEG score recompute
  7. 2026-07-11 20:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  8. 2026-07-11 16:57 UTCEG score recompute
  9. 2026-07-11 16:57 UTCGHSA enrichment
  10. 2026-07-11 13:04 UTCEG score recompute
  11. 2026-07-11 13:03 UTCGHSA enrichment
  12. 2026-07-11 09:10 UTCEG score recompute
  13. 2026-07-11 09:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  14. 2026-07-11 08:22 UTCEPSS rescore
  15. 2026-07-11 08:22 UTCEPSS rescore
  16. 2026-07-11 05:17 UTCEG score recompute
  17. 2026-07-11 05:17 UTCGHSA enrichment
  18. 2026-07-11 01:24 UTCEG score recompute
  19. 2026-07-11 01:24 UTCGHSA enrichment
  20. 2026-07-10 21:31 UTCEG score recompute
  21. 2026-07-10 21:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  22. 2026-07-10 17:52 UTCCISA KEV update
  23. 2026-07-10 17:38 UTCEG score recompute
  24. 2026-07-10 17:38 UTCGHSA enrichment
  25. 2026-07-10 13:45 UTCEG score recompute
  26. 2026-07-10 13:45 UTCGHSA enrichment
  27. 2026-07-10 09:50 UTCEG score recompute
  28. 2026-07-10 09:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  29. 2026-07-10 05:57 UTCEG score recompute
  30. 2026-07-10 05:57 UTCGHSA enrichment
  31. 2026-07-10 02:05 UTCEG score recompute
  32. 2026-07-10 02:04 UTCGHSA enrichment
  33. 2026-07-09 22:10 UTCEG score recompute
  34. 2026-07-09 22:10 UTCGHSA enrichment
  35. 2026-07-09 19:04 UTCEPSS rescore
  36. 2026-07-09 18:17 UTCEG score recompute
  37. 2026-07-09 18:17 UTCGHSA enrichment
  38. 2026-07-09 14:24 UTCEG score recompute
  39. 2026-07-09 14:24 UTCGHSA enrichment
  40. 2026-07-09 10:31 UTCEG score recompute
  41. 2026-07-09 10:31 UTCGHSA enrichment
  42. 2026-07-09 06:37 UTCEG score recompute
  43. 2026-07-09 06:37 UTCGHSA enrichment
  44. 2026-07-09 02:44 UTCEG score recompute
  45. 2026-07-09 02:43 UTCGHSA enrichment
  46. 2026-07-08 22:50 UTCEG score recompute
  47. 2026-07-08 22:50 UTCGHSA enrichment
  48. 2026-07-08 18:57 UTCEG score recompute
  49. 2026-07-08 18:57 UTCGHSA enrichment
  50. 2026-07-08 15:09 UTCEPSS rescore
  51. 2026-07-08 15:03 UTCEG score recompute
  52. 2026-07-08 15:03 UTCGHSA enrichment
  53. 2026-07-08 11:10 UTCEG score recompute
  54. 2026-07-08 11:09 UTCGHSA enrichment
  55. 2026-07-08 07:16 UTCEG score recompute
  56. 2026-07-08 07:16 UTCGHSA enrichment
  57. 2026-07-08 03:23 UTCEG score recompute
  58. 2026-07-08 03:23 UTCGHSA enrichment
  59. 2026-07-07 23:29 UTCEG score recompute
  60. 2026-07-07 23:29 UTCGHSA enrichment
  61. 2026-07-07 19:36 UTCEG score recompute
  62. 2026-07-07 19:36 UTCGHSA enrichment
  63. 2026-07-07 19:01 UTCCISA KEV update
  64. 2026-07-07 17:16 UTCCISA KEV update
  65. 2026-07-07 15:42 UTCEG score recompute
  66. 2026-07-07 15:42 UTCGHSA enrichment
  67. 2026-07-07 11:47 UTCEG score recompute
  68. 2026-07-07 11:47 UTCGHSA enrichment
  69. 2026-07-07 07:53 UTCEG score recompute
  70. 2026-07-07 07:53 UTCGHSA enrichment
  71. 2026-07-07 04:00 UTCEG score recompute
  72. 2026-07-07 04:00 UTCGHSA enrichment
  73. 2026-07-07 00:06 UTCEG score recompute
  74. 2026-07-07 00:06 UTCGHSA enrichment
  75. 2026-07-06 20:13 UTCEG score recompute

Publicly available exploits

(1 reference)

Working exploit code is in the public domain (1 Exploit-DB entry). Defenders should treat patch urgency accordingly — public PoCs typically lead to mass-exploitation within 24-72 hours.

  • Exploit-DBEDB-6218✓ verified
    First seen Aug 10, 2008

    Sun xVM VirtualBox < 1.6.4 - Privilege Escalation (PoC)

    Open source ↗

Frequently asked(6)

What is CVE-2008-3431?
CVE-2008-3431 is a high vulnerability published on August 5, 2008. The VBoxDrvNtDeviceControl function in VBoxDrv.sys in Sun xVM VirtualBox before 1.6.4 uses the METHOD_NEITHER communication method for IOCTLs and does not properly validate a buffer associated with the Irp object, which allows local users to gain privileges by opening the \\.\VBoxDrv device and…
When was CVE-2008-3431 disclosed?
CVE-2008-3431 was first published in the National Vulnerability Database on August 5, 2008, with the most recent update on April 22, 2026. EchelonGraph re-ingests CVE updates from NVD on a 2-hour cycle, so this page reflects the latest published state.
Is CVE-2008-3431 actively exploited?
Yes. CISA added CVE-2008-3431 to the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog on March 3, 2022, affecting Oracle VirtualBox. KEV listing indicates confirmed exploitation in the wild; this CVE warrants immediate patching attention.
What is the CVSS score of CVE-2008-3431?
CVE-2008-3431 has a CVSS v3 base score of 8.8 (NVD). EchelonGraph synthesises NVD + CISA KEV + FIRST EPSS + GHSA into a combined EG score of 9.0.
Which products are affected by CVE-2008-3431?
CVE-2008-3431 affects Oracle VirtualBox. The full affected-products list, including version ranges and fixed versions, is shown in the Affected Packages section of this page.
How do I remediate CVE-2008-3431?
Patch to the fixed version published by the affected vendor. Where vendor advisories exist for CVE-2008-3431, EchelonGraph cross-links them in the Vendor Advisories panel below — those typically contain the canonical remediation steps, fixed version numbers, and any vendor-specific mitigations.

Dependency Blast Radius

Explore the affected products and dependency analysis for CVE-2008-3431

Explore →

Is Your Infrastructure Affected by CVE-2008-3431?

EchelonGraph automatically scans your cloud infrastructure and maps CVE exposure using blast radius analysis.

Start Free Scan →Browse All CVEs