CVE-2015-2609 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Sun Solaris 11.2 allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to CPU performance counters drivers.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/02/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-2609 resides within Oracle Sun Solaris 11.2 operating system and represents a significant security weakness affecting the CPU performance counters drivers. This issue manifests as an unspecified vulnerability that local attackers can exploit to compromise system availability, demonstrating the critical importance of kernel-level security controls in enterprise operating systems. The vulnerability specifically targets the performance monitoring unit drivers that are essential for system monitoring and resource management functions.
The technical flaw lies within the implementation of CPU performance counters drivers which are responsible for collecting hardware performance data and managing system resource utilization. These drivers form part of the core kernel functionality and are integral to system diagnostics, performance monitoring, and resource allocation processes. Local users with access to the system can leverage this vulnerability through specific attack vectors that manipulate the performance counter interfaces, potentially leading to system instability or complete service disruption. The unspecified nature of the vulnerability suggests that the exact technical mechanism may involve improper input validation, memory management issues, or privilege escalation within the driver code.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses a substantial risk to enterprise environments running Oracle Sun Solaris 11.2 systems. Local attackers who can execute code on the target system gain the ability to cause availability disruptions that could affect critical business operations. The potential consequences include system crashes, denial of service conditions, and complete system unavailability, which directly impacts the availability principle of the CIA triad. This vulnerability particularly affects systems where performance monitoring is critical, as the compromised drivers may prevent proper system operation and resource management. The impact extends beyond simple service disruption to potentially compromise the integrity and confidentiality of system operations through cascading failures.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-119 which addresses weaknesses in memory management and improper access to memory locations, and may also relate to CWE-20 which covers input validation issues in kernel drivers. From an ATT&CK framework perspective, this vulnerability corresponds to techniques involving privilege escalation and denial of service attacks, specifically targeting system-level processes and kernel components. Organizations should implement comprehensive patch management programs to address this vulnerability, as the affected drivers require immediate remediation to prevent exploitation. The recommended mitigation strategy involves applying Oracle's official security patches and updates, conducting thorough system assessments to identify affected components, and implementing network segmentation to limit local access privileges. Additionally, monitoring for unusual performance counter activity and system behavior can help detect potential exploitation attempts. System administrators should also consider implementing privileged access controls and regular security audits to minimize the attack surface and ensure proper system integrity.