CVE-2002-1763 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
The dtscreen Sun Solaris 8 CDE screensaver crashes when the "Shift" and "Return" keys are pressed repeatedly and quickly, which allows local users to access the current session.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1763 represents a classic denial of service condition within the Common Desktop Environment (CDE) of Sun Solaris 8 systems. This flaw specifically affects the dtscreen screensaver component which is part of the CDE windowing system. The vulnerability manifests when a local attacker repeatedly and rapidly presses the Shift and Return key combination, causing the screensaver to crash and subsequently allowing unauthorized access to the active user session. This represents a significant security concern as it bypasses normal session protection mechanisms and provides immediate access to system resources and user data.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the dtscreen screensaver application. When the specified key combination is pressed rapidly, the application fails to properly manage the input sequence, leading to a crash condition that leaves the session in an accessible state. This behavior aligns with CWE-248, which addresses the exposure of an exception to the application user, and represents a form of improper handling of input sequences that can lead to unexpected program termination. The vulnerability demonstrates poor defensive programming practices where the application does not adequately sanitize or validate user input before processing it in critical system components.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it creates a direct security compromise for systems running affected versions of Solaris 8 with CDE. Local attackers can exploit this condition without requiring elevated privileges or network access, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where session isolation is expected. Once the screensaver crashes, the user session becomes immediately accessible to anyone present at the console, potentially exposing sensitive data, system configuration information, or application-specific credentials. This vulnerability directly violates the principle of least privilege and session isolation that should be maintained in secure computing environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2002-1763 should focus on both immediate system hardening and long-term architectural improvements. The most effective immediate solution involves applying the appropriate security patches released by Sun Microsystems for Solaris 8 systems, which would address the underlying input handling issues in the dtscreen component. Organizations should also implement administrative controls such as disabling the screensaver functionality or configuring it with appropriate timeout settings that reduce the window of opportunity for exploitation. From a defensive perspective, this vulnerability highlights the importance of implementing proper input validation and error handling mechanisms in all system components, particularly those that interact with user input in critical security contexts. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through service misconfiguration, where the vulnerability allows local users to gain unauthorized access to system resources through improper handling of system components. Additionally, system administrators should monitor for unusual keyboard input patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts and implement proper logging of screensaver events to detect potential abuse of this vulnerability.