Published:
15 July 1997
Protect yourself against future threats.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- =========================================================================== AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution ESB-97.086 -- Hewlett-Packard Security Advisory #0065 Security Advisory in Netscape shipped with HP-UX 16 July 1997 =========================================================================== Hewlett Packard has released the following advisory concerning a problem in the Netscape Navigator program. This vulnerability may allow a Web site operator to retrieve known files from the hard disks of visiting users by mimicking the submission of a form. The following security bulletin is provided as a service to AUSCERT's members. As AUSCERT did not write this document, AUSCERT has had no control over its content. As such, the decision to use any or all of this information is the responsibility of each user or organisation, and should be done so in accordance with site policies and procedures. Contact information for Hewlett Packard is included in the Security Bulletin below. If you have any questions or need further information, please contact them directly. Previous advisories and external security bulletins can be retrieved from: http://www.auscert.org.au/information/advisories.html If you believe that your system has been compromised, contact AUSCERT or your representative in FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams). Internet Email: auscert@auscert.org.au Facsimile: (07) 3365 4477 Telephone: (07) 3365 4417 (International: +61 7 3365 4417) AUSCERT personnel answer during Queensland business hours which are GMT+10:00 (AEST). On call after hours for emergencies. - --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY ADVISORY: #0065, 15 July 1997 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in the following Security Advisory should be acted upon as soon as possible. Hewlett Packard will not be liable for any consequences to any customer resulting from customer's failure to fully implement instructions in this Security Advisory as soon as possible. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- PROBLEM: A problem has been identified in the Netscape Navigator. PLATFORM: All platforms running Netscape Navigator 2.0, 3.0, and Communicator 4.0. DAMAGE: This vulnerability may allow a Web site operator to retrieve known files from the hard disks of visiting users by mimicking the submission of a form. SOLUTION: Apply the workaround described below and in the Netscape web site: http://www.netscape.com/flash3/misc/security_update.html AVAILABILITY: This advisory will be updated when patches are available for HP-UX. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- I. A. Background - The problem applies to all versions of the Netscape Navigator supplied by HP for HP-UX. B. Fixing the problem - Apply the workaround: NOTE - The Navigator 3.0 instructions also apply to Navigator 2.02. ================================================================== Until patches are available, users of Navigator 3.0 and Communicator 4.0 can take the following steps to enable warning dialog boxes to detect and cancel form submissions: In Navigator 3.0: Go to the Options menu and select Security Preferences. Select the "Submitting a Form Insecurely" preference to enable that warning dialog box. In Communicator 4.0: Select the lock in the toolbar to open the Security Advisor. Select Navigator, then select the "Sending Unencrypted Information to a Site" preference to enable that warning dialog box. =================================================================== C. Recommended solution - At this time the only solution is the workaround. No patches are available currently for HP-UX. D. Impact of the patch - N/A E. To subscribe to automatically receive future NEW HP Security Bulletins from the HP Electronic Support Center via electronic mail, do the following: User your browser to get to the HP Electronic Support Center page: http://us-support.external.hp.com (for US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, & Latin-America) http://europe-support.external.hp.com (for Europe) Click on the Technical Knowledge Database, register as a user (remember to save the User ID assigned to you, and your password), and it will connect to a HP Search Technical Knowledge DB page. Near the bottom is a hyperlink to our Security Bulletin archive. Once in the archive there is another link to our current security patch matrix. Updated daily, this matrix is categorized by platform/OS release, and by bulletin topic. F. To report new security vulnerabilities, send email to security-alert@hp.com Please encrypt any exploit information using the security-alert PGP key, available from your local key server, or by sending a message with a -subject- (not body) of 'get key' (no quotes) to security-alert@hp.com. Permission is granted for copying and circulating this Bulletin to Hewlett-Packard (HP) customers (or the Internet community) for the purpose of alerting them to problems, if and only if, the Bulletin is not edited or changed in any way, is attributed to HP, and provided such reproduction and/or distribution is performed for non-commercial purposes. Any other use of this information is prohibited. HP is not liable for any misuse of this information by any third party. ________________________________________________________________________ - -----End of Document ID: HPSBUX9707-065-------------------------------------- - --------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.3i Charset: noconv Comment: ftp://ftp.auscert.org.au/pub/auscert/AUSCERT_PGP.key iQCVAwUBM8yojih9+71yA2DNAQHU6wP9E1ODutaWFob7SQD/1IugpVN3+Bs01Q1q D3Xi/yu/Za5jxwEVljHOI0t6RMI3RX+FIuobDUQrX77TRZcFzVei2iEbXkdRBGFG Zu30pl5m7QvKnZ5HzLmBJslFXxV+FiYu1JHCxQCYkPCkDMN6zJHEm0Y3He16wY+T KPVqP7zX7fc= =iEKn -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----