Published:
18 December 1997
Protect yourself against future threats.
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AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution
ESB-97.167 -- Sun Security Bulletin #00161
Intel Pentium processor invalid instruction erratum
19 December 1997
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Sun Microsystems, Inc. has released the following advisory concerning a
flaw in Intel Pentium processors which affects their systems. This problem
may allow unprivileged users to hang the processor, affecting a Denial
of Service attack.
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.
NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin. It will
not be updated when the original bulletin is. If downloading at a later
date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved from the original
authors to ensure that the information is still current.
Contact information for Sun 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
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.
Facsimile: (07) 3365 7031
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________________________________________________________________________________
Sun Microsystems, Inc. Security Bulletin
Bulletin Number: #00161
Date: December 18, 1997
Cross-Ref:
Title: Intel Pentium processor invalid instruction erratum
________________________________________________________________________________
The information contained in this Security Bulletin is provided "AS IS."
Sun makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever with respect to the information
contained in this Security Bulletin. ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS,
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF NON-INFRINGEMENT OR
IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE
HEREBY DISCLAIMED AND EXCLUDED TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
IN NO EVENT WILL SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST REVENUE,
PROFIT OR DATA, OR FOR DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL
OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES HOWEVER CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
THIS SECURITY BULLETIN, EVEN IF SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
If any of the above provisions are held to be in violation of applicable law,
void, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provisions are waived
to the extent necessary for this disclaimer to be otherwise enforceable in
such jurisdiction.
________________________________________________________________________________
1. Bulletins Topics
Sun announces the release of patches for Solaris(tm) 2.6_x86, 2.5.1_x86,
2.5_x86, and 2.4_x86 which relate to the Pentium processor invalid
instruction erratum.
Sun strongly recommends that you install the patches listed in section 3
immediately if you are running Solaris 2.6_x86, 2.5.1_x86, 2.5_x86, and
2.4_x86 on systems affected by the Pentium processor invalid
instruction erratum.
2. Understanding the Vulnerability
Any user may execute an "Invalid Operand with Locked Compare Exchange
8Byte (CMPXCHG8B)" instruction and cause a Pentium processor to hang. The
instruction can be part of any user program. This vulnerability, if
exploited, allows unprivileged users to deny service to all users on the
system by causing it to hang. Please visit the following web page for
more information:
http://www.intel.com/support/processors/pentium/ppiie/index.html
3. List of Patches
The following patches are available in relation to the above problem.
OS version Patch ID
_________________ ________
Solaris 5.6_x86 105639-02
Solaris 5.5.1_x86 105638-02
Solaris 5.5_x86 105640-02
Solaris 5.4_x86 105653-02
_______________________________________________________________________________
APPENDICES
A. Patches listed in this bulletin are available to all Sun customers via
World Wide Web at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/pubpatches/patches.html>
B. Checksums for the patches listed in this bulletin are available via
World Wide Web at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/pubpatches/patches.html>
C. Sun security bulletins are available via World Wide Web at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/secbulletins>
D. Sun Security Coordination Team's PGP key is available via World Wide Web
at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/secbulletins/SunSCkey.txt>
E. To report or inquire about a security problem with Sun software, contact
one or more of the following:
- Your local Sun answer centers
- Your representative computer security response team, such as CERT
- Sun Security Coordination Team. Send email to:
security-alert@sun.com
F. To receive information or subscribe to our CWS (Customer Warning System)
mailing list, send email to:
security-alert@sun.com
with a subject line (not body) containing one of the following commands:
Command Information Returned/Action Taken
_______ _________________________________
help An explanation of how to get information
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Note that your-email-address should be substituted
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unsubscribe Sender is removed from the CWS mailing list.
________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 1997 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Sun,
Sun Microsystems, Solaris and SunOS are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. This
Security Bulletin may be reproduced and distributed, provided that this
Security Bulletin is not modified in any way and is attributed to
Sun Microsystems, Inc. and provided that such reproduction and distribution
is performed for non-commercial purposes.
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