HPSBUX9804-078 Security Vulnerability in Openmail on HP-UX

[aleph1 () NATIONWIDE NET (Aleph One)]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Wed, 29 Apr 1998 08:18:34 -0400
From: HP Electronic Support Center
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To: security_info () us-support2 external hp com
Subject: Security Bulletins Digest


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Digest Name:  Daily Security Bulletins Digest
    Created:  Wed Apr 29  6:00:23 EDT 1998

Table of Contents:

Document ID      Title
---------------  -----------
HPSBUX9804-078   Security Vulnerability in Openmail on HP-UX

The documents are listed below.
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Document ID:  HPSBUX9804-078
Date Loaded:  980429
      Title:  Security Vulnerability in Openmail on HP-UX

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
       HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY ADVISORY: #00078, 29 April 1998
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

The information in the following Security Advisory should be acted upon
as soon as possible.  Hewlett-Packard Company will not be liable for any
consequences to any customer resulting from customer's failure to fully
implement instructions in this Security Advisory as soon as possible.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
PROBLEM: Insecure configuration of any version of OpenMail.

PLATFORM: Any HP 9000 series 700/800 systems running OpenMail.

DAMAGE: Users can run arbitrary shell commands.

SOLUTION: Reconfigure OpenMail per the OpenMail Technical Guide.

AVAILABILITY: N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
I.
A. Background

   Hewlett-Packard has learned of an OpenMail server misconfiguration that
   can give users the ability to run arbitrary shell commands.  This
   applies to all currently supported OpenMail versions (B.05.01 (GR4)
   and B.05.10 (GR5), as well as the earlier B.04.01 (GR3) revision.

B. Fixing the problem

   Ref: [OpenMail Technical Guide, pages 3-366, and 3-369]

   Hewlett-Packard notes that this issue has already been adequately
   addressed in OpenMail.  There is a general parameter setting
   (UAL_PRINT_SERVER_ONLY) in the general.cfg file, that, if set to TRUE,
   forces all server printing to go through OpenMail's print server.
   The  general customization file general.cfg is located in
   /var/opt/openmail/sys, as is the print server's configuration file
   print.cfg.  On the client all that is necessary is to then change the
   'Printer Server Command' to point to one of the configured printers.

   OpenMail's print server uses a configuration file to configure available
   printers, and validates each print request against its configured
   printers. Any print requests that do not match the required syntax will
   not be executed.

   More information about OpenMail's print server and how to configure it
   can be found in the OpenMail Technical Guide (pages 3-366 to 3-369 for
   the GR5 edition)

C. To subscribe to automatically receive future NEW HP Security Advisories
   and Bulletins from the HP Electronic Support Center via electronic
   mail, do the following:

   User your browser to get to the HP Electronic Support Center page at:

   http://us-support.external.hp.com
   (for US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, & Latin-America)

   http://europe-support.external.hp.com (for Europe)

   Login with your user ID and password, or register for one (remember to
   save the User ID assigned to you, and your password).  Once you are on
   the Main Menu, Click on the Technical Knowledge Database, and it will
   connect to a HP Search Technical Knowledge DB page.  Near the bottom is
   a hyperlink to our Security Bulletin archive.  Once in the archive
   there is another  link to our current security patch matrix.  Updated
   daily, this matrix is categorized by platform/OS release, and by
   bulletin topic.


D. To report new security vulnerabilities, send email to

           security-alert () hp com

   Please encrypt any exploit information using the security-alert PGP
   key, available from your local key server, or by sending a message
   with a -subject- (not body) of 'get key' (no quotes) to
   security-alert () hp com.

   Permission is granted for copying and circulating this Advisory to
   Hewlett-Packard (HP) customers (or the Internet community) for the
   purpose of alerting them to problems, if and only if, the Bulletin
   is not edited or changed in any way, is attributed to HP, and
   provided such reproduction and/or distribution is performed for
   non-commercial purposes.

   Any other use of this information is prohibited. HP is not liable
   for any misuse of this information by any third party.
________________________________________________________________________
-----End of Document ID:  HPSBUX9804-078--------------------------------------