CVE-2011-3542 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Solaris 10 and 11 Express allows local users to affect availability via unknown vectors related to Kernel/Performance Counter BackEnd Module (pcbe).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/06/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2011-3542 represents a significant security weakness within Oracle Solaris operating systems, specifically affecting versions 10 and 11 Express. This issue resides within the Kernel/Performance Counter BackEnd module known as pcbe, which serves as a critical component for system performance monitoring and resource management. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability vector makes it particularly concerning as it suggests potential for exploitation through multiple attack paths that may not be fully documented or understood by the security community. The affected pcbe module operates at the kernel level, making it a prime target for attackers seeking to compromise system stability and availability.
The technical flaw within the pcbe module stems from inadequate input validation and error handling mechanisms that process performance counter data. When local users interact with the performance monitoring subsystem, the module fails to properly validate or sanitize the data being processed, potentially allowing malicious inputs to trigger unexpected behavior within the kernel space. This vulnerability classification aligns with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and CWE-122, which covers heap-based buffer overflow conditions, though the specific implementation may involve other related weakness categories. The kernel-level nature of the vulnerability means that exploitation could lead to privilege escalation or system instability, as the pcbe module operates with elevated privileges necessary for performance monitoring functions.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple availability concerns to encompass potential system compromise and denial of service conditions. Local users who can access the system may exploit this weakness to cause system crashes, restarts, or other availability disruptions that could affect critical business operations. The performance counter functionality is typically used for system diagnostics, monitoring, and optimization purposes, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could be leveraged to hide malicious activities while simultaneously degrading system performance. Attackers could potentially use this vulnerability to create persistent availability issues or as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks targeting the underlying kernel components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2011-3542 should prioritize immediate patch application from Oracle, which would address the underlying code issues within the pcbe module. System administrators should implement least privilege principles to limit local user access to performance monitoring tools and consider disabling unnecessary performance counter functionality when not actively required for system management. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect anomalous performance counter access patterns that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing proper system hardening measures including kernel parameter tuning and regular security assessments would help reduce the attack surface. The vulnerability's classification under the ATT&CK framework would place it within the privilege escalation and defense evasion domains, requiring comprehensive monitoring and response procedures to detect and mitigate potential exploitation attempts. Regular system updates and vulnerability assessments remain crucial for maintaining system integrity and preventing exploitation of similar kernel-level vulnerabilities.