CVE-2008-0964 in OpenSolaris
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple stack-based buffer overflows in snoop on Sun Solaris 8 through 10 and OpenSolaris before snv_96, when the -o option is omitted, allow remote attackers to execute arbitrary code via a crafted SMB packet.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/03/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-0964 represents a critical stack-based buffer overflow affecting the snoop network packet capture utility on Sun Solaris operating systems. This flaw exists in versions 8 through 10 and affects OpenSolaris systems prior to the snv_96 release, creating a significant security risk that can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication. The vulnerability specifically manifests when the snoop utility processes SMB (Server Message Block) packets and the -o option is not explicitly provided during execution, which is the default behavior in many network monitoring scenarios. The snoop utility, designed for network traffic analysis and packet capture, becomes susceptible to malicious input when handling improperly formatted SMB packets, creating a dangerous attack surface that could be leveraged by remote adversaries.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation within the snoop utility's SMB packet processing code. When snoop receives a crafted SMB packet without the explicit -o option, the utility fails to properly bounds-check data structures used for packet parsing, resulting in a classic stack-based buffer overflow condition. This occurs because the application writes more data into a fixed-length buffer than it can accommodate, causing adjacent memory locations to be overwritten. The overflow can be triggered by manipulating specific fields within SMB packet headers, particularly those related to the packet length and data payload fields. The flaw is classified as a CWE-121 stack-based buffer overflow, which directly enables attackers to overwrite return addresses and function pointers in the call stack, thereby allowing arbitrary code execution with the privileges of the snoop process, typically running with root or administrative privileges on affected systems.
The operational impact of CVE-2008-0964 extends beyond simple remote code execution, as it represents a fundamental compromise of system integrity and network security. Attackers exploiting this vulnerability can gain complete control over affected Solaris systems, potentially leading to data breaches, privilege escalation, and further lateral movement within network environments. The vulnerability's remote exploitability means that attackers do not need physical access to the target system or network credentials, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where Solaris systems may be exposed to untrusted network traffic. The default behavior of snoop without the -o option makes this vulnerability particularly prevalent, as many network monitoring configurations rely on the utility's default operation. This flaw can be particularly devastating in environments where Solaris systems serve as network infrastructure components, as successful exploitation could allow attackers to disrupt network services, establish persistent backdoors, or use compromised systems as launching points for attacks against other network segments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2008-0964 require immediate system hardening measures and comprehensive security updates. Organizations should apply the relevant Sun Microsystems patches and security updates that address the buffer overflow in snoop utility, while also implementing network segmentation to limit exposure to untrusted SMB traffic. The most effective immediate mitigation involves configuring snoop to always use the -o option when processing SMB packets, which prevents the vulnerable code path from being executed. Network administrators should also consider implementing firewall rules to restrict SMB traffic to trusted sources only, and deploy intrusion detection systems that can identify and alert on malformed SMB packets. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to techniques involving remote code execution and privilege escalation, with the attack surface extending to network infrastructure monitoring tools. System administrators should also implement regular vulnerability assessments and penetration testing to identify similar buffer overflow vulnerabilities in other network utilities, as this type of flaw has historically been prevalent in network monitoring and packet capture tools due to their complex parsing requirements and exposure to malformed network data.