__________________________________________________________
The U.S. Department of Energy
Computer Incident Advisory Capability
___ __ __ _ ___
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__________________________________________________________
INFORMATION BULLETIN
Buffer Overflow in Some Implementations of IMAP Servers
October 26, 1998 19:00 GMT Number I-074
______________________________________________________________________________
PROBLEM: A vulnerability exist in the library code from the University
of Washington IMAP server that handles SASL server-level
authentication. A buffer overflow may occur in some
implementations of IMAP servers.
PLATFORM: University of Washington IMAP server prior to version of
imap-4.1.
University of Washington IMAP4rev1 servers prior to v10.234.
Any v10.234 server that was distributed with Pine 4.0.
Any imap-4.1.BETA
DAMAGE: If exploited, remote intruders may gain root access.
SOLUTION: Install the most recent version of imapd or disable the IMAP
server.
______________________________________________________________________________
VULNERABILITY Information about this vulnerability has been posted to various
ASSESSMENT: public mailing lists and newsgroups.
______________________________________________________________________________
[ Appended on October 26, 1998 with additional patch information from
Sun Microsystems, Inc. ]
[ Start CERT Advisory ]
=============================================================================
CERT* Advisory CA-98.09
Original issue date: July 20, 1998
Topic: Buffer Overflow in Some Implementations of IMAP Servers
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
The CERT Coordination Center has received reports regarding a vulnerability
in some implementations of IMAP servers.
The CERT/CC recommends that anyone running a vulnerable version of this
software upgrade to the current vendor-recommended version. Until you can do
so, we suggest disabling the vulnerable IMAP server.
We will update this advisory as we receive additional information. We
encourage you to check our web site regularly for updates to this advisory
that may relate to your site.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
I. Description
The CERT Coordination Center has received reports regarding a buffer
overflow in some implementations of IMAP servers. The overflow is in library
code from the University of Washington IMAP server that handles SASL
server-level authentication. This vulnerability is different from the one
discussed in CERT Advisory CA-97.09.imap_pop. Information about this
vulnerability has been posted to various public mailing lists and
newsgroups.
All versions of the University of Washington IMAP server prior to the final
(frozen, non-beta) version of imap-4.1 that support SASL server-level
authentication are vulnerable. The vulnerability affects all University of
Washington IMAP4rev1 servers prior to v10.234. Also, any v10.234 server that
was distributed with Pine 4.0 or any imap-4.1.BETA is vulnerable.
Additionally, the vulnerability is present in other IMAP servers that use
library code from the University of Washington IMAP server to handle SASL
server-level authentication.
IMAP servers that share no code with the University of Washington server are
not vulnerable.
Some operating systems ship with a vulnerable version of this software
installed and enabled by default. Please refer to the Vendor Information
section below for more information about your vendor.
II. Impact
Remote intruders can execute arbitrary commands under the privileges of the
process running the vulnerable IMAP server. If the vulnerable IMAP server is
running as root, remote intruders can gain root access.
III. Solution
A. Determine if your version of imapd is vulnerable
To determine if a system is vulnerable, first telnet to port 143 on
that host. If it is running an IMAP server, the banner will show the
version. For example:
% telnet host.your.domain.com 143
Trying 123.123.123.123...
Connected to host.
Escape character is '^]'.
* OK host.your.domain.com IMAP4rev1 v10.190 server ready
In the above example, the IMAP server is the University of Washington
IMAP4rev1 v10.190. Since all University of Washington IMAP4rev1 servers
prior to v10.234 are vulnerable, the server in the above example is
vulnerable.
Please consult the Vendor Information section below for information
about other vulnerable IMAP servers.
B. Install the most recent version of imapd
Obtain and install the most recent version, or patch for your IMAP
server. Appendix A contains input from vendors who have provided
information for this advisory.
C. Workaround
If you are unable to upgrade to a version that is not vulnerable, we
urge you to disable the IMAP server until you are able to address the
problem.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Appendix A - Vendor Information
Below is a list of the vendors who have provided information for this
advisory. We will update this appendix as we receive additional information.
If you do not see your vendor's name, the CERT/CC did not hear from that
vendor. Please contact the vendor directly.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
IMAP Server Vendors
Cyrus
This does not affect the Cyrus imapd. Cyrus imapd shares no code with
the University of Washington imapd.
Esys Corporation
We are not affected by the problem described in the advisory. We do not
ship any University of Washington based software at this time. We have
never shipped any of the IMAP 4.x software from the University of
Washington.
NEC Corporation
The University of Washington imapd is shipped with our product
"Mobilenet/IMAP" and so it is vulnerable.
Netscape
Netscape Messaging Server 3.55 and before are susceptible to this
vulnerability. However, it should be noted that Netscape Messaging
Server (any version) does NOT run as root and therefore, the exposure
is much more limited than the University of Washington example.
Regardless, we have released a patch available at
http://help.netscape.com/products/server/messaging which
addresses this vulnerability.
Sun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems is working on patches for Solstice Internet Mail Server
product versions 2.0, 3.1 and 3.2.
University of Washington
A security problem has been detected with the University of Washington
IMAP server that is included in the Pine 4.00 distribution. This will
be fixed in the forthcoming Pine 4.01 maintenance release. Until then,
if you are using the UW IMAP server, please update it with the
following distribution:
ftp://ftp.cac.washington.edu/mail/imap.tar.Z
This vulnerability affects all IMAP4rev1 servers prior to
v10.234. v10.234 may or may not be vulnerable; if it came from Pine
4.00 or from any imap-4.1.BETA then it is vulnerable. IMAP2bis
servers are immune. This problem is also fixed in the imap-4.2
toolkit, which is tentatively expected to be released in
conjunction with Pine 4.01. Any IMAP4rev1 server whose version
starts with "v11" will be immune.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
Operating System Vendors
Berkeley Software Design, Inc.
The version of IMAP shipped with BSD/OS 2.1 and 3.0/3.1 is the older
version which does not include the vulnerability.
The version of IMAP which will be included in the upcoming 4.0 release
has been updated to include the security fixes.
Caldera Linux
Caldera: releasing patched imap-4.1; will release imap-4.2 as soon as
it becomes available.
URL: ftp://ftp.caldera.com/pub/OpenLinux/updates/1.2/010
6df741b4217f03bf773b54509a7d283a imap-4.1.BETA-5.i386.rpm
d3526121c68b611524fc72746204d752 imap-4.1.BETA-5.src.rpm
Compaq Computer Corporation
(c) Copyright 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998 Compaq Computer Corporation.
All rights reserved.
SOURCE: Compaq Computer Corporation
Compaq Services
Software Security Response Team USA
This reported problem is not present for the as shipped,
Compaq's Digital ULTRIX or Compaq's Digital UNIX
Operating Systems Software.
- Compaq Computer Corporation
Data General
We are investigating. We will provide an update when our
investigation is complete.
FreeBSD
FreeBSD does not ship default with imap. However, there is a version
of imapd from Washington University in the FreeBSD ports collections,
known as imap-uw.
If anyone is using the imap port, we suggest fetching the latest revision
of imap and manually install it, or wait until the FreeBSD port is updated
and reinstall imap-uw using the ports system.
You can check the ports status at:
http://www.freebsd.org/ports/mail.html
Fujitsu
Our operating system, UXP/V, does not support imapd. Therefore, it is
not vulnerable to the above vulnerability.
Hewlett-Packard Company
HP does not ship the University of Washington IMAP server.
IBM Corporation
The version of imapd shipped with AIX 4.2 and 4.3 is vulnerable. We
are currently working on the following fixes which will be available
soon:
AIX 3.2.x: imapd not shipped (not vulnerable)
AIX 4.1.x: imapd not shipped (not vulnerable)
AIX 4.2.x: IX80446
AIX 4.3.x: IX80447
To Order
--------
APARs may be ordered using Electronic Fix Distribution (via FixDist)
or from the IBM Support Center. For more information on FixDist,
reference URL:
http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix.us/swfixes/
or send e-mail to aixserv@austin.ibm.com with a subject of "FixDist".
IBM and AIX are registered trademarks of International Business Machines
Corporation.
NetBSD
NetBSD does not ship the UW imapd daemon in its standard or development
operating system releases. Our optional package system also does not
include it at this time.
OpenBSD
OpenBSD has never shipped an imap daemon.
Red Hat Linux
Serious security problems have been found in all versions of imap shipped
with Red Hat Linux. If "rpm -q imap" shows that imap is installed on
your system, please upgrade to these new imap releases immediately, or
remove imap by running "rpm -e imap". Note that Red Hat's imap package
also provides a POP server, so only remove it if you don't need to provide
POP services.
Thanks to everyone who helped find these problems, Olaf Kirch in
particular.
Red Hat 5.0 and 5.1
-------------------
i386:
rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/updates/5.0/i386/imap-4.1.final-1.i386.rpm
alpha:
rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/updates/5.0/alpha/imap-4.1.final-1.alpha.rpm
SPARC:
rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/updates/5.0/sparc/imap-4.1.final-1.sparc.rpm
Red Hat 4.2
-----------
i386:
rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/updates/4.2/i386/imap-4.1.final-0.i386.rpm
alpha:
rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/updates/4.2/alpha/imap-4.1.final-0.alpha.rpm
SPARC:
rpm -Uvh ftp://ftp.redhat.com/updates/4.2/sparc/imap-4.1.final-0.sparc.rpm
The Santa Cruz Operation, Inc.
The following SCO products are vulnerable:
- SCO UnixWare 7
SCO OpenServer 5.0, SCO CMW+ 3.0, SCO Open Desktop/Open Server 3.0, and
UnixWare 2.1 is not vulnerable as University of Washington imapd is not
included in these platforms.
Binary versions of University of Washington imapd will be available
shortly from the SCO ftp site:
ftp://ftp.sco.com/SSE/sse014.ltr - cover letter
ftp://ftp.sco.com/SSE/sse014.tar.Z - replacement binaries
This fix is a binary for the following SCO operating systems:
- SCO UnixWare 7
For the latest security bulletins and patches for SCO products,
please refer to http://www.sco.com/security/.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
The CERT Coordination Center thanks Olaf Kirch of Caldera Linux for
discovering and reporting the vulnerability. Additionally, we would like to
thank Mark Crispin and Lori Stevens of the University of Washington for
providing technical details and support in the development of the advisory.
- --------------------------------------------------------------------------
[ End CERT Advisory ]
[ Start Sun Microsystems Advisory ]
________________________________________________________________________________
Sun Microsystems, Inc. Security Bulletin
Bulletin Number: #00177
Date: October 21, 1998
Cross-Ref: CERT Advisory CA-98.09.imapd
Title: IMAP
________________________________________________________________________________
The information contained in this Security Bulletin is provided "AS IS."
Sun makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever with respect to the information
contained in this Security Bulletin. ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED CONDITIONS,
REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES, INCLUDING ANY WARRANTY OF NON-INFRINGEMENT OR
IMPLIED WARRANTY OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, ARE
HEREBY DISCLAIMED AND EXCLUDED TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY APPLICABLE LAW.
IN NO EVENT WILL SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOST REVENUE,
PROFIT OR DATA, OR FOR DIRECT, SPECIAL, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, INCIDENTAL
OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES HOWEVER CAUSED AND REGARDLESS OF ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY
ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF OR INABILITY TO USE THE INFORMATION CONTAINED IN
THIS SECURITY BULLETIN, EVEN IF SUN MICROSYSTEMS, INC. HAS BEEN ADVISED OF
THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.
If any of the above provisions are held to be in violation of applicable law,
void, or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, then such provisions are waived
to the extent necessary for this disclaimer to be otherwise enforceable in
such jurisdiction.
________________________________________________________________________________
1. Bulletins Topics
Sun announces the release of patches for Sun Internet Mail Server(tm)
versions 3.2 and 2.0 which relate to a vulnerability in the IMAP
server process.
Sun recommends that you install the patches listed in section 4
immediately on systems using Sun Internet Mail Server(SIMS) 3.2 and 2.0.
2. Affected Supported Versions
SIMS versions 3.2, 3.2_x86, 3.1, 3.1_x86, 2.0 and 2.0_x86
3. Understanding the Vulnerability
Sun Internet Mail Server provides support for IMAP, POP and mailtool
clients. The IMAP server available with certain versions of SIMS
is vulnerable to the buffer overflows referenced in CERT Advisory
CA-98.09.
4. List of Patches
The following patches are available in relation to the above problem.
SIMS Patch ID
_____ _________
3.2 105935-09
3.2_x86 105936-09
2.0 105346-07
2.0_x86 105347-07
Note: Sun recommends that sites using SIMS 3.1 or 3.1_x86 upgrade to
3.2 or 3.2_x86 and apply the corresponding patches referenced above.
_______________________________________________________________________________
APPENDICES
A. Patches listed in this bulletin are available to all Sun customers via
World Wide Web at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/pubpatches/patches.html>
B. Checksums for the patches listed in this bulletin are available via
World Wide Web at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/pubpatches/patches.html>
C. Sun security bulletins are available via World Wide Web at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/secbulletins>
D. Sun Security Coordination Team's PGP key is available via World Wide Web
at:
<URL:http://sunsolve.sun.com/sunsolve/secbulletins/SunSCkey.txt>
E. To report or inquire about a security problem with Sun software, contact
one or more of the following:
- Your local Sun answer centers
- Your representative computer security response team, such as CERT
- Sun Security Coordination Team. Send email to:
security-alert@sun.com
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security-alert@sun.com
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________________________________________________________________________________
Copyright 1998 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved. Sun,
Sun Microsystems, Solaris and SunOS are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries. This
Security Bulletin may be reproduced and distributed, provided that this
Security Bulletin is not modified in any way and is attributed to
Sun Microsystems, Inc. and provided that such reproduction and distribution
is performed for non-commercial purposes.
[ End Sun Microsystems Advisory ]
______________________________________________________________________________
CIAC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of CERT for the
information contained in this bulletin.
______________________________________________________________________________
CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Capability, is the computer
security incident response team for the U.S. Department of Energy
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