CVE-2008-5908 in OpenSolaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the root/boot archive tool in Sun OpenSolaris has unknown impact and local attack vectors, related to a "Temporary file vulnerability," aka Bug ID 6653455.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/26/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2008-5908 resides within the root/boot archive tool of Sun OpenSolaris operating system, representing a critical security flaw that manifests through a temporary file vulnerability. This issue falls under the broader category of insecure temporary file handling practices that have been extensively documented in cybersecurity literature and classified under CWE-377. The vulnerability specifically impacts the system's boot archive creation process where temporary files are improperly managed, creating potential attack vectors for local adversaries seeking to compromise system integrity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from the root/boot archive tool's failure to properly secure temporary file creation and management processes during system boot archive generation. When the tool creates temporary files, it does not adequately validate file paths, permissions, or ownership, allowing local attackers to manipulate or replace these temporary files with malicious content. This temporary file race condition vulnerability enables privilege escalation attacks where an unprivileged user can potentially gain root privileges by exploiting the insecure file handling mechanism. The flaw operates at the system level during boot archive creation, making it particularly dangerous as it can be exploited during system maintenance or routine operations when the tool is actively running with elevated privileges.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents significant risks to OpenSolaris systems as it allows local attackers to potentially execute arbitrary code with root privileges, effectively bypassing system security controls. The attack vector is local in nature, meaning that exploitation requires physical access or network access to the system, but does not require authentication. This makes the vulnerability particularly concerning for systems where local access controls are not strictly enforced, or where users with limited privileges might have access to system maintenance tools. The unspecified impact designation indicates that the exact consequences could vary depending on system configuration and the specific exploitation techniques employed, but typically includes privilege escalation, system compromise, and potential data exfiltration capabilities.
Security practitioners should implement several mitigation strategies to address this vulnerability, including immediate patching of affected OpenSolaris systems and implementing proper temporary file handling procedures. The solution involves ensuring that temporary files are created with appropriate permissions, using secure temporary file creation functions, and implementing proper file path validation. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege for system maintenance tools and regularly audit temporary file usage patterns. This vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1055 for privilege escalation and T1078 for valid accounts, as exploitation typically requires local system access and leverages legitimate system tools to achieve unauthorized privilege levels. The remediation process should include comprehensive system hardening measures and regular security assessments to identify similar insecure temporary file handling patterns in other system components.