CVE-2014-6501 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Sun Solaris 11 allows local users to affect confidentiality via vectors related to SSH.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/23/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2014-6501 resides within Oracle Sun Solaris 11 operating system and represents a security weakness that affects the Secure Shell implementation. This issue specifically targets the SSH protocol functionality and creates potential risks for data confidentiality when exploited by local attackers. The vulnerability's classification as unspecified indicates that the exact technical details of the flaw were not fully disclosed in the initial reporting, which is common with certain types of security issues that require further analysis before complete disclosure. Such vulnerabilities typically arise from implementation gaps or coding errors within the system's core security components that handle authentication and encrypted communications.
The technical flaw manifests within the SSH subsystem of Solaris 11, where local users can potentially manipulate the system's confidentiality mechanisms through specific attack vectors. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of privilege escalation or information disclosure issues that can allow attackers with local access to compromise sensitive data or gain unauthorized access to system resources. The SSH protocol implementation in Solaris 11 contains a weakness that enables local attackers to exploit the system's encryption or authentication mechanisms, potentially leading to unauthorized data access or modification. This vulnerability demonstrates a failure in the system's proper access control implementation and data protection mechanisms, particularly when handling secure communication channels.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates significant risks for organizations running Solaris 11 systems, especially those with local user access or shared computing environments. Local attackers who can exploit this weakness may gain access to confidential information that should remain protected within the system's secure communication framework. The impact extends beyond simple data exposure, potentially allowing attackers to manipulate system configurations or access sensitive system files that are normally protected by proper authentication mechanisms. Organizations may experience data breaches or unauthorized system access that could compromise their entire security posture, particularly in environments where Solaris 11 serves as a critical infrastructure component. The vulnerability's local nature means that attackers do not require network access or external exploitation methods, making it particularly dangerous in shared or multi-user environments.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2014-6501 should focus on immediate patching and system hardening measures to address the underlying SSH implementation flaw. Organizations must apply the official Oracle security patches that specifically address this vulnerability in their Solaris 11 installations, as these updates contain the necessary code modifications to resolve the confidentiality issues. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring and access control measures to detect potential exploitation attempts, including reviewing SSH logs for unusual authentication patterns or access requests. Network segmentation and principle of least privilege implementations can help limit the potential impact if the vulnerability is exploited, while regular security audits should verify that the patch has been properly applied and that no residual vulnerabilities exist in the system's SSH configuration. The mitigation approach aligns with CWE-284 standards for access control and follows ATT&CK techniques related to privilege escalation and credential access to ensure comprehensive protection against such local exploitation vectors.