From support@us.external.hp.com Wed Mar 13 00:50:58 1996 Date: Wed, 13 Mar 1996 00:59:56 -0800 From: HPSL Mail Service Reply to: support-feedback@us.external.hp.com To: Damien Sorder Subject: RE: send doc HPSBUX9602-029 -------- ## Regarding your request: Send Doc HPSBUX9602-029 The following are the results of your request from the HP SupportLine mail service. =============================================================================== Document Id: [HPSBUX9602-029] Date Loaded: [02-07-96] Description: Security Vulnerability in HP-UX syslog(3) subroutine =============================================================================== ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY BULLETIN: HPSBUX9602-029, 7 Feb 96 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Hewlett-Packard recommends that the information in the following Security Bulletin should be acted upon as soon as possible. Hewlett- Packard will not be liable for any consequences to any customer resulting from customer's failure to fully implement instructions in this Security Bulletin as soon as possible. ________________________________________________________________________ PROBLEM: Security vulnerability in syslog(3) subroutine in all releases of HP-UX prior to 10.10 PLATFORM: HP 9000 series 300/400s and 700/800s DAMAGE: The vulnerability potentially allows an attacker to gain super-user permissions on the host. SOLUTION: Apply patch PHCO_6595 (series 700/800, HP-UX 10.0, 10.01), or PHCO_6598 (series 800, HP-UX 9.X), or PHCO_6597 (series 700, HP-UX 9.0X), or PHCO_6224 (series 300/400, HP-UX 9.X), or PHCO_6162 (series 700, HP-UX 9.08 BLS), or PHCO_6161 (series 700, HP-UX 9.09 BLS), or PHCO_6160 (series 700, HP-UX 9.09+ BLS), or PHCO_6157 (series 700, HP-UX 10.09 BLS CMW). AVAILABILITY: All patches are available now, except for the BLS patches, which will be available after 29 February, 1996. Contact your FCO representative for patch availability . ________________________________________________________________________ I. Update A. Background A recent CERT advisory (CERT CA-95:13) described a vulnerability in the syslog(3) subroutine. Widely discussed, the "sendmail" program is one vector for the attack. Although "sendmail" was used as an example for exploitation, other programs that use syslog(3) could also be exploited. Hewlett-Packard has chosen to patch the root cause of this problem, which is a buffer-overrun problem. The vulnerability allows users to to gain super-user permissions on the host. If the patch for the appropriate release of HP-UX is properly installed, the vulnerability cannot be exploited. It has been found that all HP-UX systems prior to HP-UX 10.10 have this vulnerability. B. Fixing the problem The vulnerability can be eliminated from releases 9.X and 10.0X of HP-UX by applying a patch. Releases of HP-UX prior to 9.X must upgraded to release 9.X or higher to escape the vulnerability, which is fixed in the HP-UX 10.10 release. There are no work-around solutions known. Hewlett-Packard recommends that all customers concerned with the security of their HP-UX systems either apply the appropriate patch or change perform the actions described above as soon as possible. Side effects: None known to date. C. How to Install the Patch (for HP-UX 9.X and 10.X) 1. Determine which patch is appropriate for your hardware platform and operating system: PHCO_6595 (series 700/800, HP-UX 10.0 & 10.01), or PHCO_6598 (series 800, HP-UX 9.0 & 9.04), or PHCO_6597 (series 700, HP-UX 9.0[1357]), or PHCO_6224 (series 300/400, HP-UX 9.01, 9.03 & 9.1), or PHCO_6162 (series 700, HP-UX 9.08 BLS), or PHCO_6161 (series 700, HP-UX 9.09 BLS), or PHCO_6160 (series 700, HP-UX 9.09+ BLS), or PHCO_6157 (series 700, HP-UX 10.09 BLS CMW). 2. Hewlett Packard's HP-UX patches are available via email and World Wide Web To obtain a copy of the HP SupportLine email service user's guide, send the following in the TEXT PORTION OF THE MESSAGE to support@us.external.hp.com (no Subject is required): send guide The users guide explains the process for downloading HP-UX patches via email and other services available. World Wide Web service for downloading of patches is available via our URL: (http://us.external.hp.com) 3. Apply the patch to your HP-UX system. Check for warnings or errors per the patch installation instructions. The logs are: (for 9.X), /tmp/update.log, or for 10.X, /var/adm/sw/swinstall.log. This can be done as follows: a. At the shell prompt, type "tail -60 /tmp/update.log | more" In 10.X check using "tail -60 /var/adm/sw/swinstall.log | more" b. Page through the next three screens via the space bar, looking for WARNING or ERROR messages. D. Impact of the patch and workaround The patch for HP-UX releases 9.x and 10.x provides a new version of libc which fixes the vulnerability. No patches will be available for versions of HP-UX prior to 9.0. To protect those affected systems, we recommend upgrading to a currently supported release of HP-UX. E. To subscribe to automatically receive future NEW HP Security Bulletins from the HP SupportLine mail service via electronic mail, send an email message to: support@us.external.hp.com (no Subject is required) Multiple instructions are allowed in the TEXT PORTION OF THE MESSAGE, here are some basic instructions you may want to use: To add your name to the subscription list for new security bulletins, send the following in the TEXT PORTION OF THE MESSAGE: subscribe security_info To retrieve the index of all HP Security Bulletins issued to date, send the following in the TEXT PORTION OF THE MESSAGE: send security_info_list To get a patch matrix of current HP-UX and BLS security patches referenced by either Security Bulletin or Platform/OS, put the following in the text portion of your message: send hp-ux_patch_matrix World Wide Web service for browsing of bulletins is available via our URL: (http://us.external.hp.com) Choose "Support news", then under Support news, choose "Security Bulletins" F. To report new security vulnerabilities, send email to security-alert@hp.com Please encrypt exploit information using the security-alert PGP key, available from your local key server, or by sending a message with a subject of 'get key' (no quotes) to security-alert@hp.com. ________________________________________________________________________