Solaris Operating System: Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
CVE-2024-20999 is a high-severity execution with unnecessary privileges vulnerability in Solaris Operating System from Oracle, with a CVSS 3.1 base score of 8.2 out of 10. It can be exploited with local access to the system by an attacker with administrator privileges, without any action from a user. Affected Solaris Operating System versions: 11. The record does not name a fixed version, so check the vendor advisory. There is no confirmed exploitation so far. EPSS estimates a 0.27% chance of exploitation within 30 days, which is low compared with other CVEs.
High severity with no evidence of exploitation so far.
What to do
- Check which version of Solaris Operating System you run against the affected versions below, and install the vendor's latest release.
- Read the advisory on oracle.com for workarounds and exact fixed builds.
Affected products and versions
| Vendor | Product | Affected versions | Fixed in |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle | Solaris Operating System | 11 | Not stated |
| Oracle | Solaris | 11 | Not stated |
Version data comes from the organisation that assigned the CVE. Confirm against the vendor advisory before deciding you are unaffected.
How the severity score breaks down
- Attack vector
- LocalThe attacker needs local access or must trick a user into running something.
- Attack complexity
- LowNo special conditions are needed; the attack works reliably.
- Privileges required
- HighAdministrator-level access is required first.
- User interaction
- NoneNo action by a victim is required.
- Scope
- ChangedThe attack can reach beyond the vulnerable component into other systems.
- Confidentiality
- HighAll data handled by the component can be read.
- Integrity
- HighData or code can be modified at will.
- Availability
- HighThe component can be taken down completely.
Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H. Scored by CNA (oracle.com).
Official description
Vulnerability in the Oracle Solaris product of Oracle Systems (component: Zones). The supported version that is affected is 11. Easily exploitable vulnerability allows high privileged attacker with logon to the infrastructure where Oracle Solaris executes to compromise Oracle Solaris. While the vulnerability is in Oracle Solaris, attacks may significantly impact additional products (scope change). Successful attacks of this vulnerability can result in takeover of Oracle Solaris. CVSS 3.1 Base Score 8.2 (Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability impacts). CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H).
Source: the CVE record as published by its numbering authority, via NVD and CVE.org.
The underlying weakness: Execution with Unnecessary Privileges
The product performs an operation at a privilege level that is higher than the minimum level required, which creates new weaknesses or amplifies the consequences of other weaknesses.
How developers prevent this class of flaw
- Run your code using the lowest privileges that are required to accomplish the necessary tasks. If possible, create isolated accounts with limited privileges that are only used for a single task. That way, a successful attack will not immediately give the attacker access to the rest of the software or its environment. For example, database applications rarely need to run as the database administrator, especially in day-to-day operations.
- Identify the functionality that requires additional privileges, such as access to privileged operating system resources. Wrap and centralize this functionality if possible, and isolate the privileged code as much as possible from other code. Raise privileges as late as possible, and drop them as soon as possible to avoid CWE-271. Avoid weaknesses such as CWE-288 and CWE-420 by protecting all possible communication channels that could interact with the privileged code, such as a secondary socket that is only intended to be accessed by administrators.
- Identify the functionality that requires additional privileges, such as access to privileged operating system resources. Wrap and centralize this functionality if possible, and isolate the privileged code as much as possible from other code. Raise privileges as late as possible, and drop them as soon as possible to avoid CWE-271. Avoid weaknesses such as CWE-288 and CWE-420 by protecting all possible communication channels that could interact with the privileged code, such as a secondary socket that is only intended to be accessed by administrators.
More Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerabilities (CWE-250)
Timeline
- CVE record published.
- CISA published its SSVC assessment (exploitation: none, automatable: no, technical impact: total).
- Record last changed materially (score, affected products, status or references).
References
Other vulnerabilities in Solaris Operating System
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.7 High severity
- 7.0 High severity
- 10.0 High severity
- 8.8 High severity
Oracle Solaris Privilege Escalation Exploited
Recent Execution with Unnecessary Privileges vulnerabilities
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.8 High severity
- 7.3 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
- 8.8 High severity
- 9.8 Critical severity
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