-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

===========================================================================
              AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution

                ESB-1999.017 -- Sun Security Bulletin #00184
                    Security Vulnerability in man/catman
                              11 February 1999

===========================================================================

Sun Microsystems, Inc. has released the following security bulletin 
concerning a buffer overflow vulnerability discovered in man/catman which 
may be exploited to overwrite arbitrary files when man or catman is executed
by root.

The patches mentioned in this bulletin are also available from the AusCERT
FTP mirror at:

ftp://ftp.auscert.org.au/pub/mirrors/sunsolve1.sun.com/

- --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT--------------------

- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

________________________________________________________________________________
 		   Sun Microsystems, Inc. Security Bulletin
 		
Bulletin Number:	#00184
Date: 			February 10, 1999
Cross-Ref:		
Title:			man/catman
________________________________________________________________________________

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.  Background

    The man command displays information from the reference manuals. The
    catman utility creates preformatted versions of the on-line manuals.
    Vulnerabilities have been discovered with these commands that may be
    exploited to overwrite arbitrary files when man or catman is executed
    by root.
    
2.  Affected Supported Versions
        
    Solaris(tm) versions:   7, 7_x86, 2.6, 2.6_x86, 2.5.1, 2.5.1_x86, 2.5,
                            2.5_x86, 2.4, 2.4_x86, and 2.3
                            
    SunOS(tm) versions:     4.1.4 and 4.1.3_U1 
                   
3.  Recommendations

    Sun recommends that you install the respective patches immediately
    on affected systems.
    
    Operating System	Patch ID	
    _________________   _________    
    Solaris 7           107038-01		
    Solaris 7_x86       107039-01
    Solaris 2.6         106123-04		
    Solaris 2.6_x86     106124-04
    Solaris 2.5.1       106905-01
    Solaris 2.5.1_x86   106906-01
    Solaris 2.5         106907-01
    Solaris 2.5_x86     106908-01
    Solaris 2.4         106912-01
    Solaris 2.4_x86     106962-01
    Solaris 2.3         106911-01
    SunOS   4.1.4	107157-01
                        107144-01
    SunOS   4.1.3_U1	107156-01
                        107143-01
                        
_______________________________________________________________________________
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
        
        key             Sun Security Coordination Team's PGP key
	
        list            A list of current security topics

        query [topic]   The email is treated as an inquiry and is forwarded to 
                        the Security Coordination Team

        report [topic]  The email is treated as a security report and is
                        forwarded to the Security Coordination Team. Please 
                        encrypt sensitive mail using Sun Security Coordination
                        Team's PGP key

        send topic      A short status summary or bulletin. For example, to 
                        retrieve a Security Bulletin #00138, supply the 
                        following in the subject line (not body):
        		
                                send #138

        subscribe       Sender is added to our mailing list.  To subscribe, 
                        supply the following in the subject line (not body):

                            	subscribe cws your-email-address
			
                        Note that your-email-address should be substituted
                        by your email address.
			
        unsubscribe     Sender is removed from the CWS mailing list.
________________________________________________________________________________

Copyright 1999 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.



- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.2

iQCVAwUBNsDNq7dzzzOFBFjJAQEW2AQAhwzM5IgjrTmjzxu9NbheZ8cGH2xtiLId
At89187MXvjXuTw44HUiulBQtJoKYdhf9yiU+n0BtUAUpRsXMtu/mtOkwajMAzRi
lZ+Js93s1x3o6GY8qy+jbl4m7zLLrzRx6V+T+DwjWFVZ5RfW+57MEgEx3kTgCEzt
c+KlX2EGnP0=
=XsT5
- -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----


- ---------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT---------------------

===========================================================================

This security bulletin is provided as a service to AusCERT's members.
As AusCERT did not write the document quoted above, AusCERT has
had no control over its content.  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.

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 7031
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 PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.3i
Charset: noconv
Comment: ftp://ftp.auscert.org.au/pub/auscert/AUSCERT_PGP.key

iQCVAwUBNsPtJih9+71yA2DNAQEYjAP/VVaiL6+clj/7CybU5+VB5i49zpGbjpWT
FGM7ly4xvcsCnXGDJeK7vEMQdhHbnojGO/WRwQrigLWEm8SVfnsjNo75PAzuhaA6
yXAE+pXBwUcmAW7modFJ04jj+xgerBn9CF8U8K2AGFcAksVtH/71fXG2f7cGJII/
IUh/D4nDRN8=
=Vreo
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----