CVE-2004-1356 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in the sendfilev function in Sun Solaris 8 and 9 allows local users to cause a denial of service (system panic) via unknown vectors.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2004-1356 represents a critical flaw within the sendfilev function implementation in Sun Solaris 8 and 9 operating systems. This issue manifests as a local privilege escalation vulnerability that can be exploited by malicious users with access to the system to trigger a system panic, effectively causing a denial of service condition that renders the affected system unavailable to legitimate users. The vulnerability specifically affects the kernel-level implementation of the sendfilev system call, which is designed to efficiently transfer data between file descriptors without requiring userspace involvement. The flaw lies in the improper handling of certain input parameters or memory states during the sendfilev operation, creating a condition where malformed or specially crafted parameters can cause the kernel to enter an unstable state.
The technical nature of this vulnerability can be classified under CWE-119 as a weakness related to memory corruption, specifically involving improper handling of buffer operations within kernel space. The sendfilev function serves as a high-performance mechanism for transferring data from file descriptors to socket descriptors, commonly used in network applications and web servers. When exploited, the vulnerability allows local attackers to manipulate the kernel's memory management routines through this function, leading to a kernel panic that terminates the system's operation. The attack vector requires local system access, making it a privilege escalation issue rather than a remote exploit, though it significantly impacts system availability and stability. The vulnerability's impact extends beyond simple denial of service as it can potentially be leveraged to compromise system integrity and availability for legitimate users.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risk to enterprise environments running Solaris 8 or 9 systems, particularly those hosting critical applications or web services. The local nature of the exploit means that any user with access to the system can potentially trigger the panic condition, making it especially dangerous in multi-user environments where system administrators may not maintain strict access controls. The vulnerability affects systems that rely heavily on network I/O operations and file transfer capabilities, which are common in web servers, application servers, and database systems. Organizations running these older Solaris versions face a substantial risk of service disruption, potential data loss, and operational downtime that can impact business continuity and user productivity.
Security practitioners should implement immediate mitigations including applying the appropriate Sun Microsystems security patches and updates released to address this vulnerability. System administrators should also consider implementing additional access controls and monitoring mechanisms to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date systems and the risks associated with running unsupported or legacy operating system versions. Organizations should also review their system access policies and implement principle of least privilege controls to minimize the potential impact of local privilege escalation vulnerabilities. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation and highlights the need for comprehensive system hardening measures including kernel security patches, access control reviews, and security monitoring to prevent unauthorized system compromise and maintain operational resilience against such exploits.