CVE-2012-1687 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Solaris 10 and 11 allows local users to affect integrity and availability, related to Logical Domains (LDOM).
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/26/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2012-1687 resides within Oracle Solaris operating systems version 10 and 11, specifically within the Logical Domains (LDOM) subsystem. This weakness represents a significant security concern as it affects the fundamental integrity and availability of the system through a local privilege escalation vector. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical flaw within the LDOM implementation remains undisclosed, though its impact spans critical system functions that could be exploited by malicious local users.
Logical Domains technology in Oracle Solaris provides virtualization capabilities that allow multiple operating environments to run on a single physical system, each isolated in its own domain. The vulnerability within this subsystem creates potential pathways for local attackers to compromise the integrity of the system's domain management mechanisms. This could enable unauthorized modifications to domain configurations, potentially allowing attackers to gain elevated privileges or manipulate the virtualization environment in ways that undermine system stability and security. The impact extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it can affect the availability of critical system services and resources managed through the LDOM framework.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to enterprise environments that rely heavily on Solaris virtualization technologies. Local users with minimal system access could exploit this weakness to compromise the integrity of their domain configurations, potentially leading to complete system compromise or service disruption. The attack surface is particularly concerning in multi-tenant environments where multiple users share the same physical hardware but expect isolation between their domains. The vulnerability's potential to affect availability means that attackers could disrupt critical business operations by manipulating domain resources or causing system instability through malicious domain configurations.
Security practitioners should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, specifically under the privilege escalation and defense evasion tactics. The weakness aligns with CWE-264, which covers permissions, privileges, and access control issues, particularly in virtualized environments where domain isolation is paramount. Organizations should implement immediate patch management procedures to address this vulnerability, as the local nature of the attack means that even unprivileged users with access to the system could potentially exploit it. Additionally, monitoring for unusual domain configuration changes and implementing strict access controls for LDOM management interfaces should be considered as interim mitigation measures while permanent patches are deployed.
The broader implications of CVE-2012-1687 extend to compliance requirements and security frameworks such as NIST SP 800-53, which emphasizes the importance of maintaining system integrity and availability in virtualized environments. Organizations utilizing Oracle Solaris with Logical Domains should conduct comprehensive risk assessments to identify systems affected by this vulnerability and implement layered security controls. The vulnerability highlights the critical need for robust virtualization security practices and underscores the importance of keeping virtualization components updated to prevent exploitation of weaknesses in domain management systems that could ultimately lead to complete system compromise.