CVE-2009-0268 in OpenSolaris
Summary
by MITRE
Race condition in the pseudo-terminal (aka pty) driver module in Sun Solaris 8 through 10, and OpenSolaris before snv_103, allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) via unspecified vectors related to lack of "properly sequenced code" in ptc and ptsl.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/17/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0268 represents a critical race condition within the pseudo-terminal driver module of Solaris operating systems. This flaw affects Sun Solaris versions 8 through 10, as well as OpenSolaris prior to snv_103, creating a significant security concern for systems running these older releases. The vulnerability manifests in the ptc and ptsl components of the pseudo-terminal subsystem, which are responsible for managing the communication between terminal emulators and processes. The race condition occurs due to insufficient synchronization mechanisms in the kernel code that handles pseudo-terminal operations, creating a scenario where concurrent access to shared resources can lead to unpredictable system behavior.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from improper code sequencing within the kernel driver modules that manage pseudo-terminal devices. When multiple processes attempt to access or manipulate pseudo-terminal resources simultaneously, the lack of proper synchronization primitives allows for a race condition to occur. This condition can result in memory corruption or invalid state transitions within the kernel's pseudo-terminal driver, ultimately leading to system instability. The vulnerability specifically affects the ptc (pseudo-terminal controller) and ptsl (pseudo-terminal slave) device drivers, which are fundamental components in terminal I/O operations and process management. The flaw does not require special privileges to exploit, making it particularly dangerous as any local user can potentially trigger the condition.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service, as it can cause system panics that require complete system restarts to recover from. When the race condition is successfully exploited, it results in kernel-level crashes that manifest as system panics or kernel oops messages. These system failures can lead to complete service disruption, requiring manual intervention to restore system functionality. The vulnerability's impact is particularly severe in multi-user environments where multiple processes may be simultaneously accessing pseudo-terminal resources, as the probability of triggering the race condition increases proportionally with system usage. Additionally, the instability introduced by this vulnerability can potentially compromise other system services that depend on proper terminal I/O handling, creating cascading failures throughout the system.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-362, which specifically addresses race conditions in software implementations, and represents a classic example of improper synchronization in kernel code. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability maps to the privilege escalation and denial of service techniques, as it allows local users to potentially disrupt system operations and may serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks. The lack of proper code sequencing in kernel drivers demonstrates a fundamental flaw in the development lifecycle that could indicate broader security issues within the system's architecture. Organizations should prioritize patching affected systems immediately, as the vulnerability provides no access to sensitive data but can cause significant operational disruption. The remediation process requires applying the appropriate Solaris patches or upgrading to supported versions that contain proper synchronization mechanisms in the pseudo-terminal driver code. System administrators should also monitor for signs of exploitation attempts and implement additional logging to detect anomalous pseudo-terminal access patterns that might indicate attempted exploitation of this vulnerability.