CVE-2001-0124 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in exrecover in Solaris 2.6 and earlier possibly allows local users to gain privileges via a long command line argument.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0124 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the exrecover utility component of Solaris 2.6 and earlier operating systems. This flaw exists in the command line argument processing mechanism of exrecover, which is part of the vi text editor suite that was widely distributed with Solaris systems. The buffer overflow occurs when the system processes command line arguments that exceed the allocated buffer space, creating a potential entry point for privilege escalation attacks.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the exrecover utility's argument parsing code. When a local user provides a command line argument that exceeds the predetermined buffer limits, the excess data overflows into adjacent memory locations, potentially corrupting program execution flow. This condition falls under the CWE-121 category of stack-based buffer overflow, where the overflow occurs in stack memory allocated for storing command line arguments. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates within a privileged context, as exrecover is typically executed with elevated permissions to recover files from the vi editor's temporary storage areas.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple memory corruption, as it enables local users to potentially execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the exrecover process. Attackers can craft malicious command line arguments that overwrite return addresses or function pointers within the program's execution stack, allowing them to redirect program flow to malicious code. This privilege escalation capability directly violates the principle of least privilege and could enable attackers to gain root access to vulnerable systems. The attack vector is particularly stealthy since it requires only local system access and does not necessitate network connectivity or complex exploitation techniques.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate system patching through Solaris update procedures, as Oracle released patches addressing this specific buffer overflow condition. System administrators should also implement comprehensive input validation measures and consider disabling unnecessary utilities like exrecover when not actively required. The vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper buffer management in system utilities and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers bypassing user account control through privilege escalation. Organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify other similar buffer overflow conditions in legacy Solaris installations and implement proper memory protection mechanisms such as stack canaries or address space layout randomization to prevent exploitation of similar vulnerabilities.