CVE-2009-0346 in OpenSolaris
Summary
by MITRE
The IP-in-IP packet processing implementation in the IPsec and IP stacks in the kernel in Sun Solaris 9 and 10, and OpenSolaris snv_01 though snv_85, allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic) via a self-encapsulated packet that lacks IPsec protection.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/16/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-0346 represents a critical flaw in the kernel-level IPsec and IP stack implementations of Sun Solaris operating systems. This issue affects Solaris 9 and 10 releases as well as OpenSolaris snv_01 through snv_85 versions, creating a significant security concern for systems running these platforms. The vulnerability manifests specifically within the IP-in-IP packet processing mechanism, which is a fundamental component of the network stack responsible for handling encapsulated network traffic. The flaw occurs when the system encounters self-encapsulated packets that lack proper IPsec protection, leading to a system panic condition that results in complete denial of service.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate validation within the kernel's packet processing routines. When the system receives a packet that is self-encapsulated without proper IPsec protection, the kernel's IP-in-IP handling code fails to properly validate the packet structure before attempting to process it. This lack of proper input validation creates a condition where the kernel's memory management and packet processing functions become corrupted, leading to an immediate system panic. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation issue since it requires local access to trigger, but the impact extends beyond the immediate user to affect the entire system availability. According to CWE classification, this represents a weakness in the validation of input data, specifically CWE-20, and falls under the category of improper input validation.
The operational impact of CVE-2009-0346 is severe and directly affects system availability and stability. A successful exploitation of this vulnerability results in an immediate system panic, forcing the affected Solaris system to crash and reboot. This denial of service condition can be particularly damaging in enterprise environments where Solaris systems serve critical network functions or act as network infrastructure components. The vulnerability can be exploited by any local user with access to the system, making it particularly concerning for multi-user environments where privilege escalation is a potential concern. Network administrators and security teams must understand that this vulnerability can be leveraged to disrupt services without requiring external network access, making it a significant threat to system uptime and reliability. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this as a privilege escalation technique through kernel exploitation, specifically under the T1068 category of "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation" and T1499 under "Endpoint Denial of Service."
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-0346 involve implementing several layers of protection and system hardening measures. The primary recommendation is to apply the official security patches provided by Sun Microsystems for the affected Solaris versions, which address the underlying validation flaw in the IP-in-IP packet processing implementation. System administrators should also consider implementing network segmentation and access controls to limit local user privileges and reduce the attack surface. Monitoring and logging should be enhanced to detect anomalous packet processing patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider disabling unnecessary IPsec functionality when it is not required for network operations. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper kernel input validation and the need for comprehensive testing of network stack implementations. Security teams should also implement intrusion detection systems that can identify unusual network traffic patterns associated with packet encapsulation anomalies. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for this specific vulnerability to ensure proper remediation and prevent potential exploitation by malicious actors.