CVE-2001-0423 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in ipcs in Solaris 7 x86 allows local users to execute arbitrary code via a long TZ (timezone) environmental variable, a different vulnerability than CAN-2002-0093.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2001-0423 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the ipcs utility of Solaris 7 x86 systems. This issue specifically affects the handling of timezone environmental variables, creating a pathway for local attackers to escalate privileges and execute arbitrary code. The ipcs command, which is used to display information about ipc facilities such as shared memory segments, semaphores, and message queues, becomes a vector for exploitation when processing excessively long timezone values through the TZ environment variable.
This buffer overflow vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the ipcs utility's processing of environmental variables. When a local user sets a TZ environment variable containing more than the allocated buffer space, the program fails to properly bounds-check the input data. This results in memory corruption that can be exploited to overwrite adjacent memory locations, potentially allowing an attacker to inject and execute malicious code with the privileges of the affected process. The flaw is particularly concerning because it operates at the local user level, meaning any user with access to the system can potentially exploit this vulnerability without requiring special privileges or network access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple privilege escalation, as it provides attackers with a means to gain unauthorized control over system resources and potentially compromise the integrity of the entire operating system. The exploitation technique leverages the standard environment variable mechanism, making it particularly stealthy and difficult to detect through conventional security monitoring approaches. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper input validation and memory management in system utilities, as even seemingly benign commands can become dangerous when they fail to properly handle user-supplied data.
Security practitioners should recognize this vulnerability as a classic example of a buffer overflow that aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions. The attack pattern corresponds to techniques described in the ATT&CK framework under T1068, which covers Exploitation for Privilege Escalation, and T1059, which covers Command and Scripting Interpreter. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected Solaris systems, implementation of environment variable restrictions, and enhanced monitoring for unusual TZ variable usage patterns. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing privilege separation measures and regular security audits to identify similar vulnerabilities in other system utilities that may be susceptible to similar buffer overflow attacks.