CVE-2015-2580 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Sun Solaris 10 and 11.2 allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to NFSv4.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2580 represents a significant security flaw within Oracle Sun Solaris operating systems, specifically affecting versions 10 and 11.2. This issue resides within the Network File System version 4 implementation, which is a critical component for networked file access and sharing in enterprise environments. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical mechanism remains undisclosed, though it is categorized as a local privilege escalation vector that could potentially compromise system availability. The impact of such a vulnerability is particularly concerning given that NFSv4 is widely deployed across enterprise networks for file sharing and storage management operations.
The technical flaw manifests within the NFSv4 server implementation in Solaris, where local attackers with system access can exploit this weakness to disrupt availability of the file services. This type of vulnerability typically involves improper handling of network requests or resource management within the kernel-level NFS implementation. Based on the context of local privilege escalation affecting availability, the flaw likely involves buffer overflows, memory corruption issues, or improper access control mechanisms that allow unauthorized code execution or resource exhaustion. The vulnerability operates at the kernel level, making it particularly dangerous as it can potentially lead to system crashes, denial of service conditions, or even complete system compromise.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability poses substantial risk to enterprise environments that rely heavily on Solaris systems for their file services and networked storage infrastructure. Local users with minimal privileges could exploit this weakness to cause service disruptions, potentially affecting critical business operations that depend on uninterrupted file access. The impact extends beyond simple denial of service, as the vulnerability could be leveraged to create persistent availability issues that require system restarts or manual intervention to resolve. Organizations with legacy Solaris installations, particularly those running in mission-critical environments, face elevated risk of operational disruption. The vulnerability's local nature means that any user with access to the system could potentially exploit it, making it a concern for both internal security and privileged user management practices.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-2580 should prioritize immediate patching of affected Solaris systems through Oracle's official security updates, which would address the underlying NFSv4 implementation flaw. Organizations should implement strict access controls and privilege management to minimize the risk of local exploitation, particularly in environments where users may have elevated access rights. Network segmentation and monitoring of NFS traffic can help detect anomalous behavior that might indicate exploitation attempts. Additionally, implementing regular security assessments and maintaining up-to-date system inventories helps identify vulnerable systems that require immediate attention. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses weaknesses in memory management and improper access control, and could potentially map to ATT&CK techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service operations. Organizations should also consider temporary workarounds such as disabling NFSv4 services if not immediately required, while planning comprehensive system updates to eliminate the vulnerability entirely.