CVE-2017-3630 in Sun Systems Products Suite
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Solaris component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite (subcomponent: Kernel). Supported versions that are affected are 10 and 11. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows low privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Solaris executes to compromise Solaris. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized update, insert or delete access to some of Solaris accessible data as well as unauthorized read access to a subset of Solaris accessible data and unauthorized ability to cause a partial denial of service (partial DOS) of Solaris. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 5.3 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L).
Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/30/2025
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2017-3630 represents a significant security flaw within the Solaris operating system kernel, specifically affecting Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite versions 10 and 11. This issue resides in the kernel subsystem which serves as the core foundation for system operations and security enforcement. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers with minimal privileges can leverage this weakness to compromise the entire Solaris environment, making it particularly dangerous for enterprise systems where Solaris is deployed. The attack vector requires only local logon access to the target infrastructure, significantly reducing the barrier for exploitation and making this vulnerability highly relevant in environments where local access might be obtained through various means.
The technical flaw manifests as a kernel-level vulnerability that permits unauthorized modifications to system data through update, insert, and delete operations, while simultaneously enabling unauthorized read access to sensitive data subsets. This dual nature of impact across confidentiality, integrity, and availability aligns with the CVSS 3.0 scoring system that assigns a base score of 5.3, reflecting moderate severity. The vulnerability's potential to cause partial denial of service further compounds its threat profile, as attackers can disrupt system functionality without necessarily achieving complete system compromise. The attack requires low privileges and low complexity to execute, making it accessible to attackers who may have limited system access but can still gain local login privileges through various attack vectors such as credential compromise, social engineering, or other initial access methods.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations running Solaris systems, particularly in enterprise environments where these systems may host critical data and services. The ability to perform unauthorized data modifications means that attackers could potentially corrupt system configurations, manipulate user data, or interfere with system operations. The unauthorized read access capability allows for information disclosure attacks where sensitive system information could be extracted, potentially revealing system configurations, user data, or other confidential information. The partial denial of service aspect could disrupt critical services, affecting business operations and potentially leading to significant downtime. Organizations with Solaris systems deployed in production environments face increased risk of data breaches, system integrity compromises, and service disruptions if this vulnerability remains unpatched.
The security implications of CVE-2017-3630 extend beyond immediate exploitation as it represents a fundamental weakness in the kernel's access control mechanisms. This vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date system patches and implementing robust security monitoring practices. The CVSS vector analysis reveals that the attack requires local access with low complexity and low privileges, indicating that organizations should implement strict access controls and monitoring for local system activities. This vulnerability aligns with CWE-284 (Improper Access Control) and potentially CWE-122 (Heap Overflow) or similar memory corruption issues that could be exploited in kernel contexts. Mitigation strategies should include immediate patching of affected systems, implementation of network segmentation to limit local access, and enhanced monitoring for suspicious system activities. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege and regular security assessments to identify similar vulnerabilities in their Solaris environments. The ATT&CK framework would categorize this vulnerability under privilege escalation techniques, specifically targeting the kernel level to achieve persistent access and data manipulation capabilities, making it a critical concern for security teams responsible for protecting enterprise infrastructure.