CVE-2005-0426 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unknown vulnerability in Solaris 8 and 9 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (panic) via "Heavy UDP Usage" that triggers a NULL dereference.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/01/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-0426 represents a critical denial of service flaw affecting Solaris 8 and 9 operating systems. This issue stems from improper handling of network traffic patterns that leads to system instability and potential complete system failure. The vulnerability manifests specifically when the system encounters what is termed "Heavy UDP Usage" conditions, where the network stack fails to properly validate incoming UDP packets before processing them. This flaw falls under the category of kernel-level vulnerabilities that can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication or prior access to the system.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in a NULL pointer dereference within the Solaris kernel's UDP processing code. When the system receives UDP packets that trigger specific traffic patterns, the kernel's network stack attempts to access a memory location that has not been properly initialized or allocated. This NULL dereference causes the kernel to panic and terminate the network subsystem, resulting in a complete denial of service condition that affects all network connectivity on the affected system. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be triggered by any remote attacker with access to the network, making it an attractive target for malicious actors seeking to disrupt services.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations relying on Solaris systems for critical network services. The denial of service condition can result in complete network outages, service interruptions, and potential data loss during system restarts. Network administrators may experience extended downtime while systems recover from the kernel panic, and the vulnerability can be exploited repeatedly without detection. The remote nature of the attack means that organizations cannot rely on local network security measures to prevent exploitation, as the attack can originate from anywhere on the internet. This vulnerability directly maps to CWE-476 which describes NULL pointer dereference issues, and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 for network denial of service attacks.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should include immediate deployment of Oracle's security patches and updates for Solaris 8 and 9 systems. Organizations should implement network segmentation and access controls to limit exposure to external threats while patches are being deployed. Monitoring for unusual UDP traffic patterns can help detect potential exploitation attempts, though the vulnerability itself does not require authentication for successful exploitation. System administrators should consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify anomalous network behavior patterns associated with heavy UDP usage. Long-term security posture improvements should include regular system updates, network monitoring, and maintaining current security patches to prevent similar vulnerabilities from affecting the organization's infrastructure. The vulnerability highlights the importance of robust kernel security testing and the need for comprehensive security assessments of operating system components that handle network traffic processing.