CVE-2005-4706 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the "privilege management" feature of Sun Solaris 10 allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) via unknown vectors that trigger a null dereference in the secpolicy_fs_common function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/26/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2005-4706 represents a critical flaw within the privilege management subsystem of Sun Solaris 10 operating system. This issue manifests within the secpolicy_fs_common function, which serves as a core component in the system's security policy enforcement mechanisms. The vulnerability specifically targets the privilege management feature that governs how system resources and access controls are managed, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at a fundamental level of system security. The null dereference condition occurs when the function attempts to access memory locations that have not been properly initialized or allocated, creating a scenario where the system's security framework can be exploited to disrupt normal operations.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves local users who possess minimal system privileges to trigger a system panic through unspecified vectors that directly impact the secpolicy_fs_common function. This function is responsible for handling filesystem-related security policies and operates within the kernel space of the operating system, making the potential impact severe and immediate. When a null dereference occurs in kernel space, it typically results in a system crash or panic, as the operating system cannot safely continue execution when encountering invalid memory references. The vulnerability's classification as a denial of service issue indicates that while it may not directly allow privilege escalation or data compromise, it can effectively render the system unusable by forcing it to crash or reboot unexpectedly.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system downtime, as it represents a fundamental weakness in the security architecture of Solaris 10 systems. Organizations running this version of the operating system face potential disruptions to critical services, especially in enterprise environments where system stability and uptime are paramount. The vulnerability's local nature means that exploitation requires only basic user access, making it particularly concerning for environments where privilege separation is not properly enforced. From an attacker's perspective, this represents a low-effort, high-impact vector for causing system instability that can be exploited to disrupt business operations or potentially mask more sophisticated attacks by creating system distractions.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-476, which specifically addresses null pointer dereference issues in software systems, and demonstrates how security flaws in core operating system components can lead to system-wide failures. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under the Privilege Escalation and Defense Evasion tactics, as it can be used to disrupt system operations while potentially serving as a stepping stone for more advanced attacks. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the appropriate security patches from Sun Microsystems, reviewing system access controls to limit local user privileges, and implementing monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts. The vulnerability highlights the critical importance of kernel-level security testing and proper memory management practices in operating system development, as even seemingly minor flaws in core security functions can lead to complete system compromise through denial of service attacks.