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

   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
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Using encryption

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   ______________________________________________________________________

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   Copyright 2002 Carnegie Mellon University.

   Revision History
December 11, 2002: Initial release

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