CVE-2010-0271 in OpenSolaris
Summary
by MITRE
hald in Sun OpenSolaris snv_51 through snv_130 does not have the proc_audit privilege during unspecified attempts to write to the auditing log, which makes it easier for physically proximate attackers to avoid detection of changes to the set of connected hardware devices supporting the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) specification.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/26/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2010-0271 affects the Hardware Abstraction Layer (HAL) implementation within Sun OpenSolaris operating systems versions snv_51 through snv_130. This security flaw relates to insufficient privilege management during auditing operations, specifically when the hald daemon attempts to write to the system's auditing log. The Hardware Abstraction Layer serves as a critical component that provides a standardized interface for hardware device management and monitoring, making it a potential target for malicious actors seeking to manipulate system hardware detection mechanisms.
The core technical issue stems from the hald daemon lacking the proc_audit privilege during certain operations that involve writing to the auditing log. This privilege is essential for ensuring that system processes can properly record and maintain audit trails of their activities, particularly when dealing with hardware device changes and system modifications. Without this privilege, the auditing mechanism becomes compromised and unable to properly log the activities of the HAL daemon when it detects or modifies connected hardware devices. This creates a significant security gap that allows unauthorized modifications to go undetected by the system's monitoring mechanisms.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is particularly concerning for physically proximate attackers who can exploit this weakness to manipulate hardware device detection without leaving traces in the system's audit logs. According to the ATT&CK framework, this represents a technique that could be categorized under privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics, as attackers can modify hardware device configurations while avoiding detection through the auditing system. The vulnerability essentially creates a blind spot in the system's security monitoring capabilities, allowing malicious actors to make changes to the hardware device set that the HAL manages without generating audit records that would normally alert system administrators to such modifications.
This weakness aligns with CWE-276, which addresses improper privileges, and represents a specific instance of inadequate access control in system-level processes. The vulnerability demonstrates how insufficient privilege management can create security holes in critical system components, particularly those responsible for hardware abstraction and monitoring. The fact that this issue affects the HAL specification means that it could potentially impact a wide range of hardware device management operations, from USB device detection to network interface monitoring. Security professionals should note that this vulnerability highlights the importance of proper privilege assignment for system daemons that interact with critical system functions and audit mechanisms.
The mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should focus on ensuring that the hald daemon operates with appropriate privileges during auditing operations. System administrators should verify that the proc_audit privilege is properly assigned to the HAL daemon and that the auditing subsystem is functioning correctly. Additionally, implementing additional monitoring mechanisms beyond the standard audit logs could help detect anomalous hardware device changes that might otherwise go unnoticed. Regular security assessments should verify that system daemons have appropriate privilege levels and that audit logging mechanisms are properly configured to capture all relevant system activities.
From a broader security perspective, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of privilege separation and proper access control in operating system implementations. The issue underscores how seemingly minor privilege misconfigurations can create significant security vulnerabilities, particularly in system components that handle hardware device management and monitoring. Organizations implementing OpenSolaris systems should conduct thorough security reviews of their privilege configurations and audit mechanisms to ensure that critical system processes have appropriate access rights while maintaining effective monitoring capabilities. This vulnerability serves as a reminder of the critical need for comprehensive security testing that includes privilege and access control validation, particularly for system-level components that interface with hardware and security monitoring functions.