CVE-2007-4732 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the strfreectty function in the Special File System (SPECFS) in Sun Solaris 8 through 10 allows local users to cause a denial of service (system panic), related to passing a NULL pointer to the pgsignal function.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/05/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2007-4732 resides within the Special File System implementation of Sun Solaris operating systems version 8 through 10. This issue manifests in the strfreectty function which is part of the SPECFS module responsible for handling special file system operations. The flaw represents a classic null pointer dereference vulnerability that occurs when the system attempts to process a NULL pointer argument during the execution of the pgsignal function. This particular vulnerability falls under the category of improper handling of null values as classified by CWE-476, which specifically addresses the use of null pointers in security contexts.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability occurs when a local user executes code that triggers the strfreectty function with a NULL parameter. When the system attempts to pass this NULL pointer to the pgsignal function, the kernel encounters an unexpected condition that leads to system instability. The pgsignal function, which is designed to send signals to process groups, cannot properly handle the null pointer reference, resulting in an unhandled exception that causes the kernel to panic and subsequently crash the entire system. This type of vulnerability directly impacts the availability aspect of the system's security model, as it enables a local attacker to perform a denial of service attack against the target machine.
The operational impact of CVE-2007-4732 extends beyond simple system crashes, as it represents a fundamental kernel-level flaw that can be exploited by any local user with access to the system. This vulnerability does not require special privileges beyond normal user access, making it particularly dangerous in multi-user environments where local privilege escalation is not necessary. The system panic resulting from this vulnerability effectively renders the affected Solaris system unusable until manual reboot occurs, potentially leading to service disruption and data loss. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to the attack technique of privilege escalation and denial of service within the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the T1068 technique for local privilege escalation and T1499 for network denial of service.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on immediate patch application from Oracle, as the official fix addresses the null pointer validation issue within the strfreectty function. System administrators should prioritize deployment of the relevant Solaris security patches that correct the improper pointer handling in the SPECFS module. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions that can detect anomalous system behavior indicative of kernel panics can provide early warning of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in kernel space code and highlights the critical need for thorough code review processes that identify null pointer dereference conditions. Organizations should also consider implementing privilege separation measures and limiting local user access where possible to reduce the attack surface for such local privilege escalation vulnerabilities.