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CERT Advisory CA-2002-35 Vulnerability in RaQ 4 Servers

From: CERT Advisory <cert-advisory () cert org>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2002 17:22:22 -0500

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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
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* "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

Revision History
December 11, 2002: Initial release

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