CVE-2018-2764 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Solaris component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite (subcomponent: Kernel). Supported versions that are affected are 10 and 11.3. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via NFS to compromise Solaris. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Solaris. CVSS 3.0 Base Score 7.5 (Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/03/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-2764 resides within the Solaris kernel component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite, specifically affecting versions 10 and 11.3 of the operating system. This weakness represents a significant security concern as it operates at the kernel level, providing attackers with deep system access capabilities. The vulnerability manifests through the Network File System (NFS) protocol implementation, which serves as a critical networking service for file sharing in enterprise environments. The affected kernel subsystem processes NFS requests in a manner that fails to properly validate incoming data structures, creating a potential attack surface that adversaries can exploit without requiring authentication credentials.
The technical flaw stems from improper input validation within the kernel's NFS handling code, where malformed or specially crafted NFS packets can trigger memory corruption issues. This weakness falls under CWE-129, Input Validation, and more specifically relates to improper validation of input parameters that should be strictly controlled. When an unauthenticated attacker sends malicious NFS requests to a vulnerable Solaris system, the kernel's processing routine fails to adequately sanitize the input, leading to potential buffer overflows or memory access violations. The vulnerability's exploitability is classified as easily accessible due to the network-based nature of NFS, which typically operates on well-known ports and requires minimal privileges for initial access.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as successful exploitation can result in complete system compromise through repeated crashes or system hangs. The CVSS 3.0 score of 7.5 reflects the high availability impact, indicating that attackers can reliably cause system downtime that affects business operations. This vulnerability specifically targets the system's stability and availability rather than confidentiality or integrity, though the resulting system crashes can potentially be leveraged as part of broader attack campaigns. The attack surface is particularly concerning in enterprise environments where Solaris systems often serve as critical infrastructure components, including file servers, database hosts, and application servers that depend on NFS for file sharing operations.
From an attacker perspective, this vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, specifically mapping to techniques involving kernel exploitation and system instability. The vulnerability's characteristics make it particularly attractive for attackers seeking to disrupt services or establish persistent access through system instability. Organizations running vulnerable Solaris versions face significant risk, as the attack requires only network access to exploit the flaw, making it a prime target for automated scanning and exploitation tools. The lack of authentication requirements means that any system exposed to network traffic can potentially be compromised, regardless of firewall configurations or access controls.
The recommended mitigations include immediate application of Oracle's security patches and updates that address the kernel-level input validation issues within the NFS implementation. Organizations should also implement network segmentation to limit NFS access to trusted networks and consider disabling NFS services when not required for business operations. Additional protective measures include monitoring network traffic for suspicious NFS activity and implementing intrusion detection systems that can identify exploitation attempts. System administrators should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all Solaris systems within their environment that may be affected by this vulnerability and prioritize patching efforts based on risk assessment. The remediation process requires careful consideration of system downtime and rollback procedures, as kernel-level patches can sometimes introduce compatibility issues with existing applications or system configurations.