CVE-2002-1585 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in Solaris 8 for Intel and Solaris 8 and 9 for SPARC allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service via certain packets that cause some network interfaces to stop responding to TCP traffic.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2019
This vulnerability affects Solaris 8 operating systems on both Intel and SPARC architectures, as well as Solaris 9 on SPARC platforms. The issue manifests as a remote denial of service condition that occurs when specific network packets are transmitted to affected systems. The flaw impacts network interface functionality, causing these interfaces to cease responding to tcp traffic entirely. This represents a significant operational risk as it can disrupt network communications and potentially compromise system availability. The vulnerability exists at the network protocol processing level where incoming packets trigger an unexpected state in the network interface drivers, leading to complete loss of tcp connectivity.
The technical root cause involves improper handling of specific packet formats within the network stack implementation of Solaris 8 and 9 systems. When malformed or specially crafted packets reach the network interface layer, they trigger a condition that causes the interface driver to enter an unrecoverable state. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of protocol processing flaws that can be exploited without requiring authentication or elevated privileges. The attack vector is particularly concerning as it operates at the network level and can be executed remotely, making it accessible to any attacker with network access to the target system. The vulnerability demonstrates weaknesses in input validation and error handling mechanisms within the operating system's network processing components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple service disruption as it can affect critical network services and applications that depend on tcp connectivity. Organizations relying on Solaris 8 or 9 systems for mission-critical operations may experience significant downtime when this vulnerability is exploited. Network administrators face challenges in detecting and mitigating attacks since the symptoms manifest as complete interface failures rather than gradual performance degradation. The vulnerability can be particularly damaging in environments where network availability is crucial for business operations or where systems are deployed in security-sensitive configurations. This type of denial of service attack can also serve as a precursor to more sophisticated attacks, as it provides an attacker with a means to disrupt network communications and potentially gain further access to the system.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate application of vendor security patches and updates that address the network protocol processing flaw. System administrators should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to potential attackers, particularly in environments where the vulnerable systems are directly accessible from untrusted networks. Network monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect unusual traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts, as the vulnerability typically manifests through specific packet sequences. Configuration hardening measures such as disabling unnecessary network services and implementing proper firewall rules can reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability aligns with several ATT&CK techniques including T1498 for network denial of service and T1071 for application layer protocol usage. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on the specific packet patterns associated with this vulnerability. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should be conducted to identify systems running vulnerable versions of Solaris and ensure timely patch deployment across all affected infrastructure.