CVE-2006-5073 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Sun Solaris 8, 9 and 10 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (panic) via crafted IPv6 packets, a different vulnerability than CVE-2006-5013.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 04/23/2026
This vulnerability exists within the Sun Solaris operating system versions 8, 9, and 10 where improper handling of crafted IPv6 packets can trigger a system panic leading to denial of service conditions. The flaw represents a critical weakness in the network stack implementation that specifically affects IPv6 protocol processing. Unlike CVE-2006-5013 which addressed different aspects of IPv6 handling, this vulnerability focuses on the kernel's response to malformed or specially constructed IPv6 packets that can cause the system to crash or become unresponsive. The vulnerability falls under the category of improper input validation and can be classified as a CWE-129 weakness related to insufficient boundary checking in network protocol implementations.
The technical execution of this attack involves sending specifically crafted IPv6 packets to a vulnerable Solaris system which then processes these packets through the kernel's network stack without proper sanitization or validation. When the system encounters malformed IPv6 headers or unexpected packet structures, the kernel's IPv6 processing code fails to handle these edge cases gracefully, resulting in an uncontrolled system panic. This panic condition causes the operating system to terminate abruptly, requiring manual intervention or system reboot to restore normal operations. The attack vector is remote and requires no authentication, making it particularly dangerous in networked environments where systems may be exposed to untrusted network traffic.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service as it can affect system availability and potentially disrupt critical network services running on Solaris systems. Organizations running vulnerable versions of Solaris may experience unexpected system downtime, especially in environments where IPv6 traffic is present or where systems are configured to accept IPv6 packets from untrusted sources. The vulnerability can be exploited by attackers to create persistent availability issues, potentially affecting business continuity and service delivery. Systems that rely heavily on network connectivity, such as web servers, database servers, or network infrastructure devices running Solaris, face significant risk from this vulnerability.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability include applying the appropriate security patches and updates provided by Sun Microsystems, which typically address the specific kernel code handling IPv6 packets. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict IPv6 traffic from untrusted sources when possible. Network administrators should consider disabling IPv6 functionality on systems where it is not required, particularly in legacy environments. Monitoring network traffic for unusual IPv6 packet patterns and implementing intrusion detection systems can help identify potential exploitation attempts. Additionally, system hardening practices such as disabling unnecessary network protocols and services, maintaining up-to-date system configurations, and implementing proper network access controls should be employed to reduce the attack surface. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1499.004 related to network denial of service and demonstrates the importance of proper protocol implementation and input validation in operating system kernels.