CVE-2007-2882 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the NFS client module in Sun Solaris 8 through 10 before 20070524, when operating as an NFS server, allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via certain Access Control List (acl) packets.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/08/2025
The vulnerability described in CVE-2007-2882 represents a critical flaw within the Network File System (NFS) client module of Sun Solaris operating systems ranging from version 8 through 10. This issue manifests specifically when the system operates in NFS server mode, creating a potential attack vector that could be exploited by remote adversaries to disrupt system availability. The vulnerability is classified as a denial of service condition that results in system crashes, fundamentally compromising the reliability and operational continuity of affected systems. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undocumented in the public record, though the impact is clearly defined and actionable.
The technical flaw resides within how the NFS client module processes certain Access Control List packets when the system serves as an NFS server. These malformed or specially crafted acl packets trigger an unexpected behavior in the kernel-level NFS implementation, leading to system instability and eventual crash conditions. The vulnerability exploits the inherent trust model within NFS operations where legitimate access control mechanisms become attack vectors when improperly validated or handled. This type of flaw typically indicates a lack of proper input validation or memory corruption handling within the NFS subsystem, creating an opportunity for attackers to manipulate system state through network-based payloads. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes heap-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers buffer overflow situations in heap memory management, though the specific manifestation appears to be more related to improper state handling rather than traditional buffer overflows.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system downtime, potentially affecting entire networked environments where Solaris systems serve as NFS servers. Organizations relying on NFS for file sharing, backup operations, or distributed computing environments face significant risk when systems remain unpatched. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries can exploit this vulnerability from outside the local network perimeter, making it particularly dangerous for systems exposed to the internet or poorly segmented networks. Network administrators may experience unexpected service disruptions, data unavailability, and potential cascading failures in distributed applications that depend on NFS services. The vulnerability's presence in multiple Solaris versions from 8 through 10 indicates a long-standing issue that persisted across several releases, suggesting inadequate testing or validation of NFS client implementations during the development lifecycle. This vulnerability directly impacts the availability component of the CIA triad and can be categorized under the MITRE ATT&CK framework's TA0043 (Reconnaissance) and TA0045 (Privilege Escalation) techniques, as attackers may use initial reconnaissance to identify vulnerable systems before executing denial of service attacks.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2007-2882 require immediate patch application to the affected Solaris systems, with the specific patch being released by Sun Microsystems on May 24, 2007, to address this vulnerability. System administrators should prioritize patch deployment across all affected systems, particularly those serving as NFS servers in production environments. Network segmentation and firewall rules can provide temporary protection by limiting access to NFS services only to trusted networks, though this approach does not eliminate the underlying vulnerability. Monitoring network traffic for unusual acl packet patterns may help detect exploitation attempts, though this requires significant network visibility and analysis capabilities. Additionally, implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify malformed NFS packets and automated response mechanisms can provide layered defense against exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider disabling NFS services when not actively required and implementing regular vulnerability assessments to identify similar issues within their network infrastructure. The patch provided by Sun Microsystems specifically addresses the handling of Access Control List packets within the NFS client module, preventing the malformed packet processing that leads to system crashes. This remediation aligns with standard security practices for addressing kernel-level vulnerabilities and represents a fundamental fix to the NFS implementation that prevents the exploitation vector entirely.