CVE-2009-2187 in OpenSolaris
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple memory leaks in the (1) IP and (2) IPv6 multicast implementation in the kernel in Sun Solaris 10, and OpenSolaris snv_67 through snv_93, allow local users to cause a denial of service (memory consumption) via vectors related to the association of (a) DL_ENABMULTI_REQ and (b) DL_DISABMULTI_REQ messages with ARP messages.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/11/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2009-2187 represents a critical memory management flaw within the kernel networking subsystem of Sun Solaris operating systems. This issue affects multiple versions including Solaris 10 and OpenSolaris releases from snv_67 through snv_93, where the kernel fails to properly handle memory allocation and deallocation during multicast network operations. The vulnerability specifically targets the implementation of both Internet Protocol and Internet Protocol Version 6 multicast functionality, creating a scenario where local attackers can exploit memory leaks to exhaust system resources and potentially cause system instability.
The technical root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper handling of DL_ENABMULTI_REQ and DL_DISABMULTI_REQ messages within the kernel's networking stack. These messages are part of the Data Link interface specification used for managing multicast group memberships. When these messages are associated with Address Resolution Protocol operations, the kernel fails to release allocated memory structures properly, leading to gradual memory consumption over time. The flaw manifests when the kernel processes multicast enable and disable requests without maintaining proper reference counting or memory cleanup routines, resulting in memory leaks that accumulate with each operation.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple resource exhaustion, as it provides a mechanism for local users to perform persistent denial of service attacks against the target system. Attackers can repeatedly send multicast enable and disable requests, causing the kernel to allocate memory for each operation while failing to reclaim it. This creates a memory leak condition that can eventually lead to system instability, application crashes, or complete system hangs. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level, making it difficult to detect and mitigate without system-level intervention, and it affects core networking functionality that many system services depend upon.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2009-2187 should focus on both immediate system hardening and long-term architectural improvements. System administrators should apply the appropriate security patches provided by Sun Microsystems to address the memory management issues in the kernel networking code. Additionally, implementing monitoring solutions to detect unusual memory consumption patterns can help identify exploitation attempts before they cause significant damage. Network administrators should also consider limiting local user privileges and implementing resource quotas to prevent any single user from exhausting system memory resources. From a security framework perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-401, which addresses improper handling of memory allocation and deallocation, and represents a classic example of how kernel-level memory management flaws can be exploited for denial of service attacks. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this under privilege escalation and denial of service techniques, where local users leverage kernel vulnerabilities to gain persistent control over system resources.