Published:
12 December 2002
Protect yourself against future threats.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
===========================================================================
AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution
ESB-2002.688 -- CERT Advisory CA-2002-35
Vulnerability in RaQ 4 Servers
12 December 2002
===========================================================================
AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary
---------------------------------
Product: Sun Security Hardening Package
Vendor: Sun Microsystems
Platform: Sun Cobalt RaQ 4 Server Appliances
Impact: Root Compromise
Access Required: Remote
- --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT--------------------
- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
CERT Advisory CA-2002-35 Vulnerability in RaQ 4 Servers
Original release date: December 11, 2002
Last revised: --
Source: CERT/CC
A complete revision history can be found at the end of this file.
Systems Affected
* Sun Cobalt RaQ 4 Server Appliances with the Security Hardening
Package installed
Overview
A remotely exploitable vulnerability has been discovered in Sun Cobalt
RaQ 4 Server Appliances running Sun's Security Hardening Package
(SHP). Exploitation of this vulnerability may allow remote attackers
to execute arbitrary code with superuser privileges.
I. Description
Cobalt RaQ 4 is a Sun Server Appliance. For background information on
Cobalt RaQ 4, please see the COBALT RaQ 4 User Manual. Sun provides a
Security Hardening Package (SHP) for Cobalt RaQ 4. Although the SHP is
not installed by default, many users choose to install it on their RaQ
4 servers. For background information on the SHP, please see the SHP
RaQ 4 User Guide.
A vulnerability in the SHP may allow a remote attacker to execute
arbitrary code on a Cobalt RaQ 4 Server Appliance. The vulnerability
occurs in a cgi script that does not properly filter input.
Specifically, overflow.cgi does not adequately filter input destined
for the email variable. Because of this flaw, an attacker can use a
POST request to fill the email variable with arbitrary commands. The
attacker can then call overflow.cgi, which will allow the command the
attacker filled the email variable with to be executed with superuser
privileges.
An exploit is publicly available and may be circulating.
Further information about this vulnerability may be found in VU#810921
in the CERT/CC Vulnerability Notes Database.
II. Impact
A remote attacker may be able to execute arbitrary code on a Cobalt
RaQ 4 Server Appliance with the SHP installed.
III. Solution
Apply a patch from your vendor
Appendix A contains information provided by vendors for this advisory.
As vendors report new information to the CERT/CC, we will update this
section and note the changes in our revision history. If a particular
vendor is not listed below, we have not received their comments.
Please contact your vendor directly.
Workarounds
Block access to the Cobalt RaQ 4 administrative httpd server
(typically ports 81/TCP and 444/TCP) at your network perimeter. Note
that this will not protect vulnerable hosts within your network
perimeter. It is important to understand your network configuration
and service requirements before deciding what changes are appropriate.
Caveats
The patch supplied by Sun removes the SHP completely. If your
operation requires the use of the SHP, you may need to find a suitable
alternative.
Appendix A. - Vendor Information
Sun Microsystems
Sun confirms that a remote root exploit does affect the Sun/Cobalt
RaQ4 platform if the SHP (Security Hardening Patch) patch was
installed.
Sun has released a Sun Alert which describes how to remove the SHP
patch:
http://sunsolve.Sun.COM/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsalert/49377
The removal patch is available from:
http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raq4/eng/RaQ4-en-Security-2.0.1-SHP_REM.pkg
Appendix B. - References
1. CERT/CC Vulnerability Note: VU#810921 - http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/810921
2. Sun SHP RaQ 4 User Guide - http://www.sun.com/hardware/serverappliances/pdfs/support/RaQ_4_SHP_UG.pdf
3. COBALT RaQ 4 User Manual - http://www.sun.com/hardware/serverappliances/pdfs/manuals/manual.raq4.pdf
_________________________________________________________________
grazer@digit-labs.org publicly reported this vulnerability.
_________________________________________________________________
Author: Ian A. Finlay.
______________________________________________________________________
This document is available from:
http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2002-35.html
______________________________________________________________________
CERT/CC Contact Information
Email: cert@cert.org
Phone: +1 412-268-7090 (24-hour hotline)
Fax: +1 412-268-6989
Postal address:
CERT Coordination Center
Software Engineering Institute
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh PA 15213-3890
U.S.A.
CERT/CC personnel answer the hotline 08:00-17:00 EST(GMT-5) /
EDT(GMT-4) Monday through Friday; they are on call for emergencies
during other hours, on U.S. holidays, and on weekends.
Using encryption
We strongly urge you to encrypt sensitive information sent by email.
Our public PGP key is available from
http://www.cert.org/CERT_PGP.key
If you prefer to use DES, please call the CERT hotline for more
information.
Getting security information
CERT publications and other security information are available from
our web site
http://www.cert.org/
To subscribe to the CERT mailing list for advisories and bulletins,
send email to majordomo@cert.org. Please include in the body of your
message
subscribe cert-advisory
* "CERT" and "CERT Coordination Center" are registered in the U.S.
Patent and Trademark Office.
______________________________________________________________________
NO WARRANTY
Any material furnished by Carnegie Mellon University and the Software
Engineering Institute is furnished on an "as is" basis. Carnegie
Mellon University makes no warranties of any kind, either expressed or
implied as to any matter including, but not limited to, warranty of
fitness for a particular purpose or merchantability, exclusivity or
results obtained from use of the material. Carnegie Mellon University
does not make any warranty of any kind with respect to freedom from
patent, trademark, or copyright infringement.
_________________________________________________________________
Conditions for use, disclaimers, and sponsorship information
Copyright 2002 Carnegie Mellon University.
Revision History
December 11, 2002: Initial release
- -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: PGP 6.5.8
iQCVAwUBPfe3rGjtSoHZUTs5AQGi9gP/YKUB3k9mabWL7w3OYun7zPpsYqtRRFgE
zpG77X/wKuHoUjxMArn0thzBeGmpmM0WJ7o3boggArwmgLgm6XQTJyg76JDHKEU5
/ozCZnhd4C39veE08rL1qQgXYIlo56QIANDdCnBchl6Fe/41XYjKblIhlxItRfbM
2bpmCCLvQzk=
=5ayh
- -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
- --------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT--------------------
You have received this e-mail bulletin as a result of your organisation's
registration with AusCERT. The mailing list you are subscribed to is
maintained within your organisation, so if you do not wish to continue
receiving these bulletins you should contact your local IT manager. If
you do not know who that is, please send an email to auscert@auscert.org.au
and we will forward your request to the appropriate person.
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 author\'s website 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/render.html?cid=1980
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 member emergencies only.
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.3i
Charset: noconv
Comment: http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=1967
iQCVAwUBPfhZaih9+71yA2DNAQEs3wQAkH2QaETOX7psWAsiyIwGvG2Rp4wGYNKt
Xt98dRbLmSfXBbc6LaVafpZtjopIXay/0TkhgiKnGasbj/u+OYSgGTYV/D2hE5nS
bpaHqoO8viR+EF5Vr53a6AZhnll4Iw2WXA/1OJnhRUrOxFou3WY5eUPuIbu41FII
f/UAu9lv0HM=
=qps4
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----