CVE-2001-0115 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in arp command in Solaris 7 and earlier allows local users to execute arbitrary commands via a long -f parameter.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0115 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the arp command functionality of Solaris 7 and earlier operating systems. This security weakness specifically manifests when processing the -f parameter, which is designed to specify a file containing arp entries for processing. The flaw arises from inadequate input validation and bounds checking within the command's implementation, creating a condition where maliciously crafted input can exceed the allocated buffer space and overwrite adjacent memory locations.
This buffer overflow vulnerability falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where the exploitation occurs through manipulation of command-line arguments rather than network input. The arp command in Solaris systems processes the -f parameter by reading from a specified file and attempting to parse arp entries, but fails to properly validate the length of input data. When a local user provides an excessively long -f parameter, the command's internal buffer cannot accommodate the overflowed data, leading to memory corruption that can be leveraged for arbitrary code execution. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it requires only local system access to exploit, making it accessible to users with basic system privileges.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with the ability to execute arbitrary commands with the privileges of the arp command process. This typically means the attacker can gain elevated system access and potentially compromise the entire system. The attack vector is straightforward and reliable, as local users can simply construct a malicious command line with an overly long -f parameter to trigger the buffer overflow condition. The vulnerability affects all Solaris 7 and earlier versions, including Solaris 8, though it was primarily documented in the 7 and earlier releases. The widespread use of these older Solaris versions in enterprise environments made this vulnerability particularly dangerous for organizations maintaining legacy systems.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2001-0115 primarily focus on immediate system updates and administrative controls. The most effective solution involves applying the appropriate security patches provided by Sun Microsystems for the affected Solaris versions, which typically include enhanced input validation and buffer size restrictions within the arp command implementation. System administrators should also implement strict access controls and monitoring for the arp command, particularly in environments where local user access is not strictly controlled. Additionally, the principle of least privilege should be enforced, limiting local user access to system commands that can be exploited in this manner. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of input validation in system commands and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through exploitation of system vulnerabilities. Organizations should also consider implementing application whitelisting solutions and regular security audits to identify and remediate similar buffer overflow conditions in other system utilities and applications.