CVE-2016-3462 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Sun Solaris 11.3 allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to Network Configuration Service.
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/24/2024
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-3462 resides within Oracle Sun Solaris 11.3 operating system and represents a significant security flaw in the Network Configuration Service component. This unspecified vulnerability creates a potential attack vector that could be exploited by local users to compromise system availability, making it particularly concerning for enterprise environments where Solaris systems are deployed. The Network Configuration Service forms a critical part of the operating system's network management infrastructure, responsible for handling network configuration tasks and maintaining system connectivity. Given that this is a local privilege escalation vulnerability, attackers would need to already have access to the system to exploit it, though the potential impact on availability makes it a serious concern for system administrators.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from weaknesses in how the Network Configuration Service processes certain network configuration operations, allowing local users to potentially disrupt system services or cause system instability. According to CWE classification, this vulnerability would likely fall under CWE-119 which deals with insufficient resource pool sizing, or potentially CWE-20 which addresses input validation issues. The vulnerability's impact on availability means that an attacker could potentially cause denial of service conditions by manipulating network configuration parameters in ways that destabilize the service or cause system crashes. This type of vulnerability is particularly dangerous because it operates at a low level within the operating system, making detection and prevention more challenging for security monitoring systems.
From an operational perspective, the exploitation of CVE-2016-3462 could result in significant service disruption for organizations running Solaris 11.3 systems, particularly in mission-critical environments where network connectivity is essential. The vulnerability's local nature means that attackers would need to have some level of access to the target system, either through legitimate user accounts or through other exploitation techniques, but once inside the system, the potential for causing availability issues is substantial. This aligns with ATT&CK framework technique T1499 which covers network denial of service attacks, and could be leveraged as part of broader attack chains where initial access leads to availability disruption. Organizations with Solaris systems would need to carefully evaluate their network configuration management practices and consider the potential for privilege escalation attacks that could lead to system-wide service degradation.
The recommended mitigations for this vulnerability include applying the appropriate Oracle security patches and updates as released through Oracle Critical Patch Updates, which would address the underlying flaw in the Network Configuration Service. System administrators should also implement proper access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized local access attempts that could lead to exploitation of this vulnerability. Network segmentation and privilege separation measures can help reduce the potential impact of successful exploitation by limiting what local users can access or modify within the system. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing automated patch management processes to ensure that all Solaris systems receive security updates in a timely manner, preventing exploitation of known vulnerabilities. Regular security assessments and vulnerability scanning should include checks for this specific vulnerability to ensure that systems remain protected against potential availability attacks.