CVE-2015-3286 in OpenAFS
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in the Solaris kernel extension in OpenAFS before 1.6.13 allows local users to cause a denial of service (panic or deadlock) or possibly have other unspecified impact via a large group list when joining a PAG.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 06/09/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2015-3286 represents a critical buffer overflow flaw within the Solaris kernel extension component of the OpenAFS distributed file system. This issue affects OpenAFS versions prior to 1.6.13 and specifically targets the kernel extension module that handles group list processing during PAG (Process Authentication Group) joining operations. The flaw occurs when the system processes an excessively large group list, causing memory corruption that can manifest in system instability. The vulnerability resides in the kernel extension layer which serves as a bridge between the user-space OpenAFS client and the underlying operating system, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at the privileged kernel level where memory management and system integrity are paramount.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and buffer size checking within the kernel extension's group list handling mechanism. When a local user attempts to join a PAG with an unusually large group membership list, the kernel extension fails to properly validate the size of the incoming data structure. This results in a classic buffer overflow condition where data written beyond the allocated buffer boundaries corrupts adjacent memory regions. The vulnerability is classified under CWE-121 as an "Stack-based Buffer Overflow" or potentially CWE-122 for "Heap-based Buffer Overflow" depending on the specific memory allocation pattern used by the kernel extension. The lack of proper bounds checking in the kernel extension's processing of group list data creates an exploitable condition that can be triggered through legitimate system operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions to potentially enable more severe system compromise scenarios. Local users can trigger system panics that cause immediate system crashes and require manual rebooting of affected systems, leading to significant service disruption and potential data loss. Additionally, the vulnerability can cause system deadlocks that result in indefinite system hang conditions, effectively rendering the system unusable until manual intervention occurs. The unspecified additional impacts mentioned in the CVE description suggest that under certain conditions, this vulnerability might potentially enable privilege escalation or other security boundary violations, though the exact scope of these possibilities remains undetermined. The vulnerability affects systems running Solaris operating systems with OpenAFS installations, particularly those handling large group membership scenarios or environments where users might attempt to manipulate group list sizes during authentication operations. This makes it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where large user groups and complex authentication hierarchies are common.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2015-3286 should focus on immediate version upgrading to OpenAFS 1.6.13 or later, which contains the necessary patches to address the buffer overflow condition. System administrators should also implement monitoring for unusual group list sizes being processed by the OpenAFS kernel extension, as well as regular security audits to identify potentially malicious attempts to exploit this vulnerability. Network segmentation and access controls should be reinforced to limit local user access to systems running vulnerable OpenAFS versions. Organizations should also consider implementing automated patch management systems to ensure timely deployment of security updates across all affected systems. The vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which involves exploiting vulnerabilities in legitimate programs, and T1499 which covers endpoint detection and response capabilities for identifying system instability patterns. Additionally, this vulnerability demonstrates the importance of kernel-level security hardening practices and proper input validation in privileged system components as outlined in the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and ISO 27001 security standards.