CVE-2007-2465 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Sun Solaris 9, when Solaris Auditing (BSM) is enabled for file read, write, attribute modify, create, or delete audit classes, allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) via unknown vectors, possibly related to the audit_savepath function.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-2465 represents a critical denial of service weakness within Sun Solaris 9 operating systems that becomes exploitable when Basic Security Module (BSM) auditing is enabled for specific file system operations. This flaw manifests in a panic condition that can bring the entire system to a halt, effectively rendering it unavailable to legitimate users and services. The vulnerability specifically targets the audit_savepath function, which serves as a critical component in the BSM framework responsible for maintaining audit trail information related to file system activities. When local users trigger certain file operations while BSM auditing is active for read, write, attribute modify, create, or delete events, the system experiences a kernel panic that requires manual reboot to resolve.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and error handling within the BSM subsystem of Solaris 9. The audit_savepath function appears to fail to properly validate or sanitize certain parameters when processing audit events related to file system modifications, leading to memory corruption or invalid memory access conditions that cause the kernel to panic. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of unspecified flaws that are particularly dangerous because they can be exploited through multiple vectors without clear indication of the exact trigger conditions. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation issue since it requires local user access but can result in system-wide denial of service. According to CWE standards, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-125, which covers out-of-bounds read scenarios that can lead to system instability.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-2465 extends far beyond simple service disruption, as it can compromise the availability of critical enterprise systems that rely on Solaris 9 for business operations. Organizations running Solaris 9 with BSM auditing enabled for file system activities face significant risk of unavailability during peak business hours, potentially causing financial losses and operational downtime. The local nature of the exploit means that even limited user accounts can trigger this vulnerability, making it particularly concerning for multi-user environments where privilege separation is not strictly enforced. From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability represents a low-effort, high-impact method for causing system instability, as it requires minimal technical expertise to execute. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a system service denial of service technique under the T1499.004 sub-technique, which involves disrupting system services through kernel-level manipulation. Additionally, this vulnerability could be leveraged as part of a broader attack chain where an initial compromise leads to this denial of service condition as a means of covering tracks or escalating privileges.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2465 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Solaris 9 systems through Oracle's security updates, which would address the underlying kernel-level flaw in the audit_savepath function. Organizations should also consider disabling BSM auditing for file system operations if the functionality is not strictly required for compliance purposes, as this would eliminate the attack surface for this particular vulnerability. System administrators should implement monitoring solutions that can detect unusual system behavior or panic events that might indicate exploitation attempts. Network segmentation and privilege minimization practices can help reduce the potential impact of local exploitation, ensuring that even if an attacker gains local access, they cannot easily leverage this vulnerability against other systems. The vulnerability highlights the importance of comprehensive security testing for kernel-level components and the necessity of maintaining up-to-date security patches in enterprise environments. Regular security assessments should include evaluation of auditing subsystems and their potential for exploitation, particularly in legacy systems that may not receive ongoing security support from vendors. Organizations should also consider implementing intrusion detection systems that can monitor for abnormal system behavior patterns that might indicate kernel-level attacks.