CVE-2016-3497 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in Oracle Sun Solaris 11.3 allows local users to affect availability via vectors related to Kernel, a different vulnerability than CVE-2016-5469 and CVE-2016-5471.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/08/2022
This vulnerability resides within Oracle Sun Solaris 11.3 operating system and represents a significant security weakness that could compromise system availability. The flaw is specifically located within the kernel component of the operating system, making it particularly dangerous as it operates at the core level where system stability and security are maintained. Unlike other vulnerabilities such as CVE-2016-5469 and CVE-2016-5471 which may affect different system components, this particular issue focuses on kernel-level operations that could lead to system instability or complete system failure.
The technical nature of this vulnerability involves kernel-level exploitation that allows local users to manipulate system resources in ways that could result in denial of service conditions. While the exact technical mechanism is unspecified in the CVE description, kernel-based vulnerabilities typically involve memory corruption issues, privilege escalation flaws, or resource management problems that can be exploited by users with local access to the system. These types of vulnerabilities often fall under CWE-119 which deals with memory safety issues and CWE-264 which addresses privilege escalation problems. The fact that this vulnerability affects availability rather than confidentiality or integrity suggests that an attacker could potentially cause system crashes, restarts, or other disruptions that would prevent legitimate users from accessing system resources.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability presents a serious risk to organizations relying on Solaris 11.3 systems as local users could potentially cause system-wide outages or service disruptions. The local access requirement means that attackers would need to have some form of legitimate access to the system first, but once inside, they could leverage this vulnerability to cause significant damage to system availability. This type of attack could be particularly problematic in enterprise environments where system uptime is critical for business operations. The vulnerability's classification as affecting the kernel component means that any successful exploitation could potentially compromise the entire system rather than just specific applications or services.
The attack surface for this vulnerability is limited to local users who already have access to the system, but this access requirement does not diminish its severity. In practice, local access could be gained through various means including legitimate user accounts, compromised credentials, or through other initial compromise vectors that might lead to local system access. The vulnerability's relationship to other CVEs like CVE-2016-5469 and CVE-2016-5471 suggests that Oracle may have identified multiple related kernel-level issues that require coordinated patching approaches. Organizations should consider this vulnerability within the broader context of their security posture and review their local privilege management policies to minimize the risk of exploitation. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques and system compromise tactics, as it represents a path to gaining more control over system resources. Mitigation strategies should include applying the appropriate Oracle security patches, implementing strict access controls, monitoring for unusual system behavior, and maintaining up-to-date incident response procedures to address potential exploitation attempts.