CVE-2011-2296 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Solaris 11 Express allows local users to affect availability, related to Kernel/SCTP.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/28/2017
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-2296 resides within Oracle Solaris 11 Express operating system and specifically impacts the kernel implementation of Stream Control Transmission Protocol. This unspecified weakness in the SCTP kernel module creates a potential avenue for local attackers to compromise system availability. The vulnerability affects the core networking stack functionality and represents a significant concern for system stability and reliability in enterprise environments. The issue manifests through kernel-level components that handle SCTP communications, which are critical for maintaining network connectivity and data transmission integrity.
The technical flaw involves a weakness in how the Solaris kernel processes SCTP protocol operations, potentially allowing a local user to exploit memory handling or resource management functions within the kernel space. This type of vulnerability typically stems from inadequate input validation, improper memory allocation, or flawed state management within the kernel networking subsystem. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, which is common in early vulnerability disclosures. The vulnerability is particularly concerning because it operates at the kernel level, meaning successful exploitation could lead to system crashes, denial of service conditions, or potentially more severe consequences depending on the specific implementation details.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability presents a significant risk to system availability and service continuity within Solaris environments. Local users who can exploit this weakness can potentially cause system instability, leading to unexpected reboots or complete system unavailability. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service to potentially affecting mission-critical applications that depend on stable network connectivity and reliable kernel operations. Organizations running Solaris 11 Express systems are particularly vulnerable since this represents a fundamental flaw in the operating system's core networking capabilities. The local privilege requirement means that exploitation typically requires an attacker to already have access to the system, but the potential for availability compromise makes this a critical issue for system administrators to address.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-2296 should focus on applying official Oracle patches and updates as soon as they become available for Solaris 11 Express systems. System administrators should implement comprehensive monitoring of kernel-level network operations and establish alerting mechanisms for unusual SCTP behavior or system stability issues. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses improper access to memory locations, and potentially CWE-122 related to insufficient synchronization in kernel operations. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability could be categorized under privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, though the initial access requirement makes it more aligned with local execution and availability compromise techniques. Organizations should also consider implementing network segmentation strategies to limit the potential impact of such vulnerabilities and maintain regular system updates to address known weaknesses in kernel components.