CVE-2013-5875 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Solaris 11.1 allows local users to affect integrity and availability via vectors related to Role Based Access Control (RBAC).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/07/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2013-5875 resides within Oracle Solaris 11.1 operating system and represents a significant security weakness in the Role Based Access Control implementation. This unspecified flaw specifically targets the RBAC subsystem which governs user permissions and access controls within the Solaris environment. The vulnerability enables local attackers who already have system access to potentially compromise the integrity and availability of the affected system through mechanisms related to RBAC functionality.
From a technical perspective, the vulnerability exploits weaknesses in how Solaris 11.1 handles role-based access control mechanisms, allowing unauthorized privilege escalation or manipulation of access controls. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability description suggests that the exact technical flaw within the RBAC implementation remains undisclosed, but it clearly impacts the fundamental security model that governs user permissions. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of access control bypass or privilege escalation flaws that can severely compromise system security posture.
The operational impact of CVE-2013-5875 extends beyond simple privilege escalation as it affects both system integrity and availability. Local attackers who exploit this vulnerability could potentially modify access control policies, manipulate user roles, or disrupt normal system operations through RBAC-related mechanisms. This dual impact on integrity and availability creates a particularly dangerous scenario where attackers could both compromise the security model and potentially cause system disruptions. The vulnerability's local nature means that attackers must already have some level of system access, but once exploited, they can undermine the core security controls that protect the system.
Security professionals should consider this vulnerability in the context of the MITRE ATT&CK framework, particularly under techniques related to privilege escalation and defense evasion. The flaw aligns with tactics that involve gaining elevated privileges through weaknesses in access control systems, potentially enabling attackers to maintain persistent access or escalate their privileges beyond normal user limitations. Organizations running Oracle Solaris 11.1 systems should implement immediate mitigations including applying available patches from Oracle, reviewing RBAC configurations, and monitoring for unauthorized access control changes. Additionally, implementing principle of least privilege configurations and regular security audits of RBAC policies can help reduce the potential impact of such vulnerabilities.
This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of RBAC implementations in enterprise security environments and highlights how weaknesses in access control mechanisms can create cascading security issues. The fact that this vulnerability affects integrity and availability simultaneously underscores the need for comprehensive security testing of access control systems. Organizations should treat this as a high-priority vulnerability requiring immediate attention, as it represents a fundamental weakness in the security model that could be exploited to undermine the entire system's security architecture. The vulnerability also emphasizes the importance of maintaining current security patches and monitoring for similar issues in other operating system components that rely on similar access control mechanisms.