Digest Name: security_info
Description: Daily Security Bulletins Digest
Created:     Wed Feb 07 03:00:01 1996 PST


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Summary of 'Daily Security Bulletins Digest' documents
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Document Id    Description                                              Page 1
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HPSBUX9602-029 Security Vulnerability in HP-UX syslog(3) subroutine

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Detailed list of 'Daily Security Bulletins Digest' documents
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Document Id: [HPSBUX9602-029]
Date Loaded: [02-07-96]

Description: Security Vulnerability in HP-UX syslog(3) subroutine
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HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY BULLETIN: HPSBUX9602-029, 7 Feb 96
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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.

________________________________________________________________________

--
jrah@ssec.honeywell.com

Life is like a pair of linen pants.  There's always another wrinkle.