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[COVERT-2000-10] Windows NetBIOS Unsolicited Cache Corruption
From: COVERT Labs <seclabs () nai com>
Date: Tue, 29 Aug 2000 21:02:44 -0700
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 ______________________________________________________________________ Network Associates, Inc. COVERT Labs Security Advisory August 29, 2000 Windows NetBIOS Unsolicited Cache Corruption COVERT-2000-10 ______________________________________________________________________ o Synopsis The Microsoft Windows implementation of the NetBIOS cache allows a remote attacker to insert and flush dynamic cache entries as well as overwrite static entries through unsolicited unicast or broadcast UDP datagrams. As a result, remote attackers either on the local subnet or across the Internet may subvert the NetBIOS Name to IP address resolution process by redirecting any NetBIOS Name to any arbitrary IP address under the control of the attacker. Note: According to Microsoft, there will not be a patch released for this vulnerability. The resolution section of this advisory lists several options for end users to minimize its impact. RISK FACTOR: HIGH ______________________________________________________________________ o Vulnerable Systems All versions of Microsoft Windows 95, 98, NT and 2000 are susceptible to cache corruption. ______________________________________________________________________ o Vulnerability Overview The NetBIOS Name resolution process resolves NetBIOS Names into IP addresses for many operations, including session establishment. RFC 1001 (15.1.8) suggests that "an end-node may maintain a local cache of NetBIOS name to IP address translation entries". This NetBIOS cache is examined before queries are passed to support services. The current contents can be examined via "nbtstat -c". The CIFS family of protocols includes a browsing protocol that allows for the dynamic discovery of servers running particular services. The CIFS Browsing protocol supplies a dynamically generated Browse List of network resources. The Network Neighborhood in Windows NT 4 and My Network Places in Windows 2000 provide a basic interface to some of the information provided in a Browse List. Interactions between Microsoft's implementation of NetBIOS and the CIFS Browsing Protocols have created vulnerabilities allowing a remote attacker either on a local subnet or across the internet to subvert the NetBIOS Name resolution process. ______________________________________________________________________ o Vulnerability Information The Microsoft designed CIFS Browser Protocol defines a number of Browse Frames encapsulated within a NetBIOS datagram which is defined in RFC 1002 (4.4). The NetBIOS datagram header contains a source and destination NetBIOS name, as well as a second source IP address, in addition to the IP headers. When a Browse Frame Request is received on UDP port 138, Microsoft's implementation extracts information from the NetBIOS datagram header and stores the information in the NetBIOS cache. The source NetBIOS Name and source IP address from the NetBIOS datagram header are blindly extracted from the UDP datagram and inserted into the NetBIOS cache. As an interesting side note, when a Browse Frame Response is generated the NetBIOS cache is examined to resolve the source NetBIOS name of the previous request and delivered to that IP address. Because the NetBIOS cache entry for the source NetBIOS name is under control of the attacker, the response can be delivered to an arbitrary host. It is important to note that dynamic NetBIOS cache entries can be inserted in addition to overwriting static entries imported from the LMHOSTS file. Furthermore, the NetBIOS cache is corrupted with an unsolicited UDP datagram, removing the requirement for attackers to predict Transaction IDs. With the NetBIOS cache under the control of a remote attacker many opportunities are available, one of the most obvious is to subvert outbound SMB connections to an arbitrary address. A rogue SMB server would then be able to capture NT username and password hashes as presented. In addition to inserting entries into the NetBIOS cache it is also possible to flush dynamic entries. RFC 1001 (15.1.8) states that "a node ought to flush any cache information associated with an IP address if the node receives any information indicating that there may be any possibility of trouble with the node at that IP address". One possible way to flush dynamic NetBIOS cache entries is to deliver an unsolicited Positive Name Query response that provides a different IP address to NetBIOS name mapping to the entry in the NetBIOS cache. In a manner similar to DNS, the NetBIOS name resolution process utilizes a 16-bit Transaction ID to associate requests and responses. The Microsoft implementation of NetBIOS contains an easily predictable Transaction ID, although the previously discussed vulnerability is a much more effective method of inserting entries into the NetBIOS cache. ______________________________________________________________________ o Resolution COVERT Labs have worked with Microsoft in accordance with Microsoft's Security Policies in an attempt to provide customers with a patch to eliminate this vulnerability. Despite our best efforts and extensive discussions, Microsoft believes that this issue is a result of the unauthenticated nature of the NetBIOS protocol and will not be providing a security patch. To work around the NetBIOS cache corruption security vulnerability there are a number of potential solutions. The most effective is to upgrade to Windows 2000 and "Disable NetBIOS over TCP/IP". Obviously, this is an impractical solution for many organizations. Some other potential solutions include: o Block ports 135-139 and 445, both UDP and TCP, at your network perimeter to protect from external attackers. o Because NetBIOS name resolution (either through broadcast or WINS) is subject to this cache corruption attack, it should not be relied upon to perform hostname to IP address resolution. o Disable the "WINS Client" binding including the NetBIOS Interface, Server and Workstation services. It is important to disable all services that register a NetBIOS name as shown by nbtstat -n. Selectively unbinding the "NetBIOS interface" or other specific services such as Server or Workstation will still allow attackers to talk to a NetBIOS name and corrupt the NetBIOS cache. o It is important to note the Computer Browser Service is independent of Browse Frame processing and generation (at least within the bounds of this vulnerability). Disabling the service has no impact upon this vulnerability. ______________________________________________________________________ o Credits The discovery and documentation of this vulnerability was conducted by Anthony Osborne at the COVERT Labs of PGP Security. ______________________________________________________________________ o Contact Information For more information about the COVERT Labs at PGP Security, visit our website at http://www.pgp.com/covert or send e-mail to covert () nai com ______________________________________________________________________ o Legal Notice The information contained within this advisory is Copyright (C) 2000 Networks Associates Technology Inc. It may be redistributed provided that no fee is charged for distribution and that the advisory is not modified in any way. Network Associates and PGP are registered Trademarks of Network Associates, Inc. and/or its affiliated companies in the United States and/or other Countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks in this document are the sole property of their respective owners. ______________________________________________________________________ -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGP 6.5.1 Comment: Crypto Provided by Network Associates <http://www.nai.com> iQA/AwUBOax9wKF4LLqP1YESEQJAGgCeIoxQyTxNwobd3uxJLRWk74zoBasAn0ZA m9EBnQ+78FSjn+XS2ezTsZj9 =UuQ1 -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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