IBM-ERS Security Vulnerability Alert: IBM C Set ++ for AIX Source Code Browser

[ibm-ers () ERS IBM COM (ibm-ers () ERS IBM COM)]

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                           EMERGENCY RESPONSE SERVICE
                          SECURITY VULNERABILITY ALERT

17 August 1999 13:00 GMT                         Number: ERS-SVA-E01-1999:003.1
===============================================================================
                           VULNERABILITY SUMMARY

VULNERABILITY:    The IBM C Set ++ for AIX Source Code Browser allows local
                  and remote users to become root.

PLATFORMS:        C Set ++ for AIX Version 3 (5765-421)
                  C Set ++ for AIX Version 2 (5765-186)

SOLUTION:         Disable the source code browser daemon (pdnsd).

===============================================================================
                           DETAILED INFORMATION

I.  Description

A buffer overflow vulnerability has been discovered in the Source Code
Browser's Program Database Name Server Daemon (pdnsd) of versions 2 and 3 of
IBM's C Set ++ for AIX.  This vulnerability allows local and remote users to
gain root access.  To date, there are no known reports of this being
exploited.

II.  Solutions

  A.  Official fix

    IBM C Set ++ for AIX versions 2 and 3 are no longer supported and no APAR
    will be issued.  Customers are encouraged to upgrade to a later compiler
    version.

  B.  How to alleviate the problem

    The pdnsd daemon should be disabled by running the following commands as
    root:

      # rmitab browser
      # chown root.system /usr/lpp/xlC/browser/pdnsd
      # chmod 0 /usr/lpp/xlC/browser/pdnsd
      # /usr/lpp/xlC/browser/pdnsdkill

III.  Contact Information

Comments regarding the content of this announcement can be directed to:

   security-alert () austin ibm com

To request the PGP public key that can be used to encrypt new AIX security
vulnerabilities, send email to security-alert () austin ibm com with a subject
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IBM and AIX are a registered trademark of International Business Machines
Corporation.  All other trademarks are property of their respective holders.

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

IBM's Internet Emergency Response Service (IBM-ERS) is a subscription-based
Internet security response service that includes computer security incident
response and management, regular electronic verification of your Internet
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IBM-ERS maintains a site on the World Wide Web at http://www.ers.ibm.com/.
Visit the site for information about the service, copies of security alerts,
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"Pretty Good Privacy" and "PGP" are trademarks of Philip Zimmermann.

IBM-ERS is a Member Team of the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams
(FIRST), a global organization established to foster cooperation and response
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Copyright 1999 International Business Machines Corporation.

The information in this document is provided as a service to customers of
the IBM Emergency Response Service.  Neither International Business Machines
Corporation, nor any of its employees, makes any warranty, express or implied,
or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, complete-
ness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process
contained herein, or represents that its use would not infringe any privately
owned rights.  Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process,
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by IBM or its subsidiaries.  The views and opinions of authors expressed
herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of IBM or its subsidiaries,
and may not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.

The material in this security alert may be reproduced and distributed,
without permission, in whole or in part, by other security incident response
teams (both commercial and non-commercial), provided the above copyright is
kept intact and due credit is given to IBM-ERS.

This security alert may be reproduced and distributed, without permission,
in its entirety only, by any person provided such reproduction and/or
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increasing the awareness of the Internet community.

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