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Re: Root shell vixie cron exploit


From: lcamtuf () DIONE IDS PL (Michal Zalewski)
Date: Wed, 1 Sep 1999 21:08:56 +0200


On Wed, 1 Sep 1999, Seva Gluschenko wrote:

man sendmail:
/-C
...skipping...
      -Cfile  Use alternate configuration file.  Sendmail refuses to run
              as root if an alternate configuration file is specified.

and it does, for sure %-).

Just tested this on different versions of FreeBSD and had no effects
except Mail Delivery message:

The following address has permanent fatal errors:
-C/tmp/vixie-cf gvs

So, sendmail _really_ refuses to accept -C key when run as root

Probably you have some problems with understanding written word ;P REFUSES
TO RUN AS ROOT means: if alternate config file is specified, effective
root privledges (Setuid) are dropped. But from crond, sendmail is launched
with uid==euid==0. DOES NOT apply. FreeBSD seems to be patched against
this attack, that's another issue ;P

_______________________________________________________________________
Michal Zalewski [lcamtuf () ids pl] [link / marchew] [dione.ids.pl SYSADM]
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