CVE-1999-0973 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in Solaris snoop program allows remote attackers to gain root privileges via a long domain name when snoop is running in verbose mode.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/01/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-1999-0973 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Solaris snoop program that operates in verbose mode, creating a significant security risk for systems running this operating system. This vulnerability specifically targets the snoop utility, which is designed to capture and display network traffic for diagnostic purposes. The flaw manifests when the snoop program processes domain names that exceed the allocated buffer space, allowing malicious actors to exploit this condition and execute arbitrary code with elevated privileges.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the snoop program's handling of domain name data. When snoop operates in verbose mode, it processes and displays detailed network information including domain names from DNS queries. The program fails to properly bounds-check the length of incoming domain names, leading to a classic buffer overflow condition where data written beyond the allocated memory buffer overwrites adjacent memory locations. This overflow can be strategically manipulated to overwrite critical program variables, return addresses, or function pointers, ultimately enabling attackers to redirect program execution flow.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple denial of service scenarios, as it provides remote attackers with the capability to achieve complete system compromise. The snoop program, when running with root privileges, becomes a gateway for privilege escalation attacks. Attackers can craft specially formatted domain names that, when processed by the vulnerable snoop instance, trigger the buffer overflow and subsequently execute malicious code with root-level access. This level of compromise allows for complete system control, data exfiltration, and persistence mechanisms establishment.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and demonstrates characteristics consistent with attack patterns documented in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under privilege escalation techniques. The exploitation pathway follows typical remote code execution methodologies where network-based attacks leverage poorly validated input to achieve unauthorized system access. Organizations running Solaris systems with snoop in verbose mode face significant risk, as this vulnerability can be exploited without requiring local access or prior authentication.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-1999-0973 primarily focus on immediate system hardening measures and operational controls. The most effective approach involves disabling verbose mode for the snoop program or ensuring that snoop is not running with elevated privileges. System administrators should also implement network segmentation to limit exposure of systems running vulnerable versions of snoop. Additionally, patch management protocols should be prioritized to ensure timely application of vendor security updates. Network monitoring solutions should be configured to detect anomalous DNS query patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability serves as a critical reminder of the importance of input validation and privilege separation in system design, emphasizing that network utilities must not operate with unnecessary elevated privileges.