CVE-2019-2437 in Solaris
Summary
by MITRE
Vulnerability in the Oracle Solaris component of Oracle Sun Systems Products Suite (subcomponent: Kernel). The supported version that is affected is 11. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows unauthenticated attacker with network access via TCP to compromise Oracle Solaris. Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in unauthorized ability to cause a hang or frequently repeatable crash (complete DOS) of Oracle 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 • 06/28/2023
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2019-2437 resides within the Oracle Solaris operating system's kernel component, specifically affecting version 11 which represents a critical weakness in the Sun Systems Products Suite. This issue manifests as a remote code execution vulnerability that can be exploited by unauthenticated attackers who possess network access through TCP connections, making it particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where network exposure is common. The vulnerability's classification as easily exploitable indicates that attackers require minimal technical expertise to leverage this weakness effectively, while the lack of authentication requirements removes any barriers to initial access.
The technical flaw within the Solaris kernel stems from insufficient input validation mechanisms that fail to properly handle malformed network packets or specific kernel operations. This vulnerability operates at the kernel level, which means that successful exploitation can directly impact the operating system's core functionality and stability. The CVSS 3.0 scoring system assigns this vulnerability a base score of 7.5, reflecting the high severity impact on system availability, with the vector indicating network accessibility, low attack complexity, no privilege requirements, and no user interaction needed for exploitation. The availability impact is particularly severe as the vulnerability can lead to complete denial of service conditions where the system becomes unresponsive or enters a continuous crash loop.
From an operational standpoint, the impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple system downtime as it can result in unauthorized ability to cause persistent system hangs or frequently repeatable crashes that effectively render the affected Oracle Solaris systems unusable. This type of vulnerability can be particularly devastating in mission-critical environments where system availability is paramount, potentially affecting business continuity and service delivery. The vulnerability's characteristics align with CWE-121, which addresses stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and may also relate to CWE-122, concerning heap-based buffer overflow, depending on the specific kernel implementation details. Organizations running Oracle Solaris 11 systems face significant risk of operational disruption, as attackers can repeatedly exploit this vulnerability to maintain persistent denial of service conditions.
The exploitation of CVE-2019-2437 falls within the ATT&CK framework's privilege escalation and denial of service tactics, as attackers can leverage network-based access to compromise system availability without requiring elevated privileges initially. Security professionals should consider implementing network segmentation and firewall rules to restrict unnecessary TCP access to Solaris systems while monitoring for anomalous network traffic patterns that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability's impact on system availability makes it particularly concerning for critical infrastructure deployments where uptime is essential, and organizations should prioritize immediate patch deployment as recommended by Oracle's security advisories to prevent potential exploitation by malicious actors.