CVE-1999-0301

Vulnerability

A buffer overflow vulnerability exists in the ps command on SunOS and Solaris systems. This flaw arises from insufficient bounds checking on arguments passed to the ps program, allowing an attacker to overwrite its internal data space. The ps command is typically setuid root, making it a target for privilege escalation.

Exploitation

An attacker with local user access to the affected system can exploit this vulnerability. The exploit involves crafting specific arguments to the ps command. The provided exploit code [1] demonstrates how to create a malicious message catalog file and then use ps with arguments that trigger the buffer overflow, ultimately leading to the execution of arbitrary code.

Impact

Successful exploitation of this vulnerability allows a local attacker to gain root privileges on the affected system. This means the attacker can execute any command with the highest level of system access, potentially compromising the entire system.

Mitigation

This vulnerability affects Solaris 2.5.1. Patches or updated versions that address this specific buffer overflow in the ps command are required. Users should upgrade to a secure version of the operating system. No specific fixed version or release date is available in the provided references, and no workarounds are detailed.