cfengine contains format string vulnerabilities

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

===========================================================================
              AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution
                             
              ESB-2000.314 -- NetBSD Security Advisory 2000-013
               cfengine contains format string vulnerabilities
                               27 October 2000

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

	AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary
	---------------------------------

Product:                cfengine
Vendor:                 NetBSD Package Collection
Operating System:       NetBSD
Impact:                 Root Compromise
Access Required:        Remote

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

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

                 NetBSD Security Advisory 2000-013
                 =================================

Topic:		cfengine contains format string vulnerabilities
Version:	any before 1.5.3nb3 
Severity:	possible remote root compromise.


Abstract
========

Note: The cfengine package is not part of the base NetBSD distribution,
and is not installed by default.  It is part of the NetBSD package
collection, which contains a large number of third-party applications
in ready-to-install format.

NetBSD makes no claim about the suitability or security of these
third-party applications; however, when we become aware of severe
security holes in commonly used packages, we may release advisories
such as this one.

The cfd daemon in GNU CFEngine contains several format string vulnerabilities
in syslog() calls.  This could permit remote hosts to inject the network
daemon with a message causing a segmentation fault.  As cfd is almost
always run as root due to its nature (centralized configuration management),
this could lead to a root compromise.

This advisory was based on a message from to BUGTRAQ from Pekka Savola
<pekkas@NETCORE.FI>.

Solutions and Workarounds
=========================

Versions of cfengine older than version 1.5.3nb2 could be vulnerable.  To
find out the version of cfengine installed on your NetBSD system, you can use
pkg_info(1):

	# pkg_info -e cfengine-*

If cfengine is not installed on your system, no output will be generated,
and your system is not vulnerable to this problem.

If you have a version older than, or including, 1.5.3nb2, you should
upgrade to version 1.5.3nb3 (or newer) of cfengine.  A corrected
version has been part of the NetBSD packages collection since 2nd
October 2000.

If a vulnerable version of cfengine is installed, then you should
immediately remove the vulnerability by deleting the package.  As
root, type:

	# pkg_delete -v cfengine-*

If you continue to need cfengine, you should install a new version of
the package.

There are precompiled binary packages of cfengine for some NetBSD ports
available from:

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/packages/pkgsrc/sysutils/cfengine/README.html

If no precompiled binary is available for your platform, you can build
your own from source.  First, make sure that you have a version of the
pkgsrc hierarchy from 2nd October 2000 or later.  (See
http://www.netbsd.org/Sites/net.html for ways to obtain NetBSD, and
pkgsrc, its packages collection.)

You can then install the new version of the package:

	cd pkgsrc/sysutils/cfengine; make clean; make install

For more information on how to rebuild a package from source for your
architecture, see ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/packages/pkgsrc/README

Revision History
================

	20001024	revised prior to publication.

More Information
================

Information about NetBSD and NetBSD security can be found at
http://www.NetBSD.ORG/ and http://www.NetBSD.ORG/Security/.


Copyright 2000, The NetBSD Foundation, Inc.  All Rights Reserved.

$NetBSD: NetBSD-SA2000-013.txt,v 1.4 2000/10/24 14:39:40 agc Exp $

- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.3ia
Charset: noconv

iQCVAwUBOfhIqD5Ru2/4N2IFAQH74QP/Rmrn0Nq/1S3NEgWUZYRMlO5Sd9Q98LZg
XfFqYPlYwOqHAS+LO003AiBfc+2XBb0Si86tLkk2REhQ51UGgfA4D2wM7G9ym61D
ddiU9rryutq2xiuXr/yNOKhHrXzQ0aPDehzXce0iXlJdMnRhuf9VtXzP8bDyq0pg
gC4NfMUKiB8=
=JuHl
- -----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.

NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin.  It may
not be updated when updates to the original are made.  If downloading at
a later date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved directly
from the original authors to ensure that the information is still current.

Contact information for the authors of the original document is included
in the Security Bulletin above.  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 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

iQCVAwUBOlSNHSh9+71yA2DNAQGJGgP9EC2ocWl/9n73eS1DSBy1VaMByZN2EX+v
QuVfD0UFUvs4t7OdCK9v1DfSo8Sq4cOvV4XcWYhwhyNoo2ZNPeJmLyC5+brBXmwX
BuQ9pQ1XWnOZJqWaKXETqt9OvN8G8gb9qaPgHUmA50oiNVf6mUZKNCCMg33JL9Pe
y2rK9OcmmfU=
=JJmx
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----