CVE-2017-10234 in Solaris Cluster
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Solaris Cluster component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite (subcomponent: NAS device addition). The supported version that is affected is 4. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Solaris Cluster executes to compromise Solaris Cluster. Successful attacks require human interaction from a person other than the attacker. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Solaris Cluster. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.3 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H).
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 01/03/2021
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-10234 resides within the Solaris Cluster component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite, specifically affecting the NAS device addition subcomponent in version 4. This weakness represents a significant security flaw that can be exploited by low-privileged attackers who already possess legitimate access to the Solaris Cluster execution environment. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that the attack vector requires minimal technical sophistication while still maintaining the potential for severe consequences. The CVSS 3.0 base score of 7.3 reflects the high impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability domains, demonstrating the comprehensive nature of the threat this vulnerability presents to enterprise systems.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate access controls and validation mechanisms within the NAS device addition functionality of Solaris Cluster. When an attacker with low privileges successfully navigates the system's authentication boundaries, they can leverage this weakness to execute unauthorized operations that ultimately lead to complete system compromise. The requirement for human interaction from a person other than the attacker suggests that while the initial exploitation may be automated, some form of legitimate user action or system interaction is necessary to complete the attack chain. This characteristic places the vulnerability in the context of privilege escalation attacks where the attacker's initial access point is limited but can be leveraged to achieve higher system control.
The operational impact of successfully exploiting CVE-2017-10234 extends beyond simple data compromise to represent a complete system takeover of the Solaris Cluster environment. This level of compromise can result in unauthorized access to critical enterprise data, potential disruption of business operations through system availability attacks, and the ability to modify system configurations or data integrity. The high CVSS scores across all three impact metrics indicate that an attacker could simultaneously compromise confidentiality by accessing sensitive information, integrity by modifying system data or configurations, and availability by potentially rendering the cluster services inaccessible. Organizations utilizing Solaris Cluster for mission-critical applications face significant risk exposure when this vulnerability remains unpatched.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should prioritize immediate patch deployment from Oracle, as this represents the most effective defense against exploitation. System administrators should also implement additional monitoring controls to detect anomalous behavior in the NAS device addition processes and establish strict access controls for all system components. The vulnerability's classification under CWE categories related to privilege escalation and insufficient access control aligns with common attack patterns documented in the ATT&CK framework, particularly those involving privilege escalation techniques and persistence mechanisms. Organizations should conduct comprehensive security assessments to identify all systems running affected Solaris Cluster versions and implement network segmentation to limit potential lateral movement if exploitation occurs. Regular security audits and vulnerability scanning should be enhanced to identify similar weaknesses in other system components that could provide alternative attack vectors.