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CERT Advisory CA-99-03-FTP-Buffer-Overflows

   Original issue date: February 11, 1999
   Revised Date: July 7, 1999  Added updated information for Silicon Graphics,
   Inc. (SGI).

   Topic: Remote buffer overflows in various FTP servers leads to
   potential root compromise.
   Source: Netect, Inc.

   To aid in the wide distribution of essential security information, the
   CERT Coordination Center is forwarding the following information from
   Netect, Inc. Netect, Inc. urges you to act on this information as soon
   as possible. See Appendix C for Netect, Inc. contact information.
   Please contact them if you have any questions or need further
   information.

   =======================FORWARDED TEXT STARTS HERE==========================

Netect, Inc.
General Public Security Advisory

% Advisory: palmetto.ftpd
% Issue date: February 9, 1999
% Contact: Jordan Ritter
% Revision: February 11, 1999
  % Update: Appendices A and B corrected.


[Topic]

Remote buffer overflows in various FTP servers leads to potential root
compromise.


[Affected Systems]

Any server running the latest version of ProFTPD (1.2.0pre1) or the
latest version of Wuarchive ftpd (2.4.2-academ[BETA-18]).  wu-ftpd is
installed and enabled by default on most Linux variants such as RedHat
and Slackware Linux.  ProFTPD is new software recently adopted by many
major internet companies for its improved performance and reliability.

Investigation of this vulnerability is ongoing; the below lists
software and operating systems for which Netect has definitive
information.


[Overview]

Software that implements FTP is called an "ftp server", "ftp daemon",
or "ftpd".  On most vulnerable systems, the ftpd software is enabled
and installed by default.

There is a general class of vulnerability that exists in several
popular ftp servers.  Due to insufficient bounds checking, it is
possible to subvert an ftp server by corrupting its internal stack
space.  By supplying carefully designed commands to the ftp server,
intruders can force the the server to execute arbitrary commands with
root privilege.

On most vulnerable systems, the ftpd software is installed and enabled
by default.


[Impact]

Intruders who are able to exploit this vulnerability can ultimately
gain interactive access to the remote ftp server with root privilege.


[Solution]

Currently there are several ways to exploit the ftp servers in
question.  One temporary workaround against an anonymous attack is to
disable any world writable directories the user may have access to by
making them read only.  This will prevent an attacker from building an
unusually large path, which is required in order to execute these
particular attacks.

The permanent solution is to install a patch from your Vendor, or
locate one provided by the Software's author or maintainer.  See
Appendices A and B for more specific information.

Netect strongly encourages immediate upgrade and/or patching where
available.

Netect provides a strong software solution for the automatic detection
and removal of security vulnerabilities.  Current HackerShield
customers can protect themselves from this vulnerability by either
visiting the Netect website and downloading the latest RapidFire(tm)
update, or by enabling automatic RapidFire(tm) updates (no user
intervention required).

Interested in protecting your network today?  Visit the Netect website
at http://www.netect.com/ and download a FREE 30 day copy of
HackerShield, complete with all the latest RapidFire(tm) updates to
safeguard your network from hackers.


[Appendix A, Software Information]

% ProFTPD

  Current version: 1.2.0pre1, released October 19, 1998.
  All versions prior to 1.2.0pre1: vulnerable.
  Fix: will be incorporated into 1.2.0pre2.

  Currently recommended action: upgrade to the new version when it
    becomes available, or apply the version 1.2.0pre1 patch found at:

  ftp://ftp.proftpd.org/patches/proftpd-1.2.0pre1-path_exploit2.patch

% wu-ftpd

  Current version: 2.4.2 (beta 18), unknown release date.
  All versions through 2.4.2 (beta 18): vulnerability dependant upon
    target platform, probably vulnerable either due to OS-provided
    runtime vulnerability or through use of replacement code supplied
    with the source kit.  No patches have been made available.
  Fix: unknown.

  Currently recommended action: Upgrade to wu-ftpd VR series.

  % wu-ftpd VR series

    Current version: 2.4.2 (beta 18) VR13, released January 28, 1999.
    All versions prior to 2.4.2 (beta 18) VR10: vulnerable.
    Fix: incorporated into VR10, released November 1, 1998.

    Available from:
        ftp://ftp.vr.net/pub/wu-ftpd/
    Filenames:
        wu-ftpd-2.4.2-beta-18-vr13.tar.Z
        wu-ftpd-2.4.2-beta-18-vr13.tar.gz

% BeroFTPD [NOT vulnerable]

  Current version: 1.3.3, released February 7, 1999.
  All versions prior to 1.2.0: vulnerable.
  Fix: incorporated into 1.2.0, released October 26, 1998.

  Available from:
     ftp://ftp.croftj.net/usr/bero/BeroFTPD/
     ftp://ftp.sunet.se/pub/nir/ftp/servers/BeroFTPD/
     ftp://sunsite.cnlab-switch.ch/mirror/BeroFTPD/
  Filename:
     BeroFTPD-1.3.3.tar.gz

% NcFTPd [NOT vulnerable]

  Current version: 2.4.0, released February 6, 1999.
  All versions prior to 2.3.4: unknown.

  Available from:
     http://www.ncftp.com/download/

  Notes:

    % NcFTPd 2.3.4 (libc5) ftp server has a remotely exploitable bug
       that results in the loss of the server's ability to log
       activity.

    % This bug cannot be exploited to gain unintended or privileged
       access to a system running the NcFTPd 2.3.4 (libc5) ftp
       server, as tested.

    % The bug was reproducible only on a libc5 Linux system.  The
       Linux glibc version of NcFTPd 2.3.4 ftp server is NOT
       vulnerable.

    % The bug does not appear to be present in version NcFTPd 2.3.5 or
       later.  Affected users may upgrade free of charge to the latest
       version.

Thanks go to Gregory Lundberg for providing the information regarding
wu-ftpd and BeroFTPD.


[Appendix B, Vendors]

% RedHat Software, Inc.

  % RedHat      Version 5.2 and previous versions ARE vulnerable.

  Updates will be available from:
      ftp://updates.redhat.com/5.2/<arch>
  Filename:
      wu-ftpd-2.4.2b18-2.1.<arch>.rpm

% Walnut Creek CDROM and Patrick Volkerding

  % Slackware   All versions ARE vulnerable.

  Updates will be available from:
      ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/linux/slackware-3.6/slakware/n8/
      ftp://ftp.cdrom.com/pub/linux/slackware-current/slakware/n8/
  Filenames
      tcpip1.tgz (3.6)     [971a5f57bec8894364c1e0d358ffbfd4]
      tcpip1.tgz (current) [e1e9a9a50ad65bab1e120a7bf60f6011]

  Notes:

    % The md5 checksums are current for the above mentioned Revision
     date only.

% Caldera Systems, Inc.

  % OpenLinux   Latest version IS vulnerable

  Updates will be available from:
      ftp://ftp.calderasystems.com/pub/OpenLinux/updates/

% SCO

  % UnixWare    Version 7.0.1 and earlier (except 2.1.x) IS vulnerable.
  % OpenServer  Versions 5.0.5 and earlier IS vulnerable.
  % CMW+                  Version 3.0 is NOT vulnerable.
  % Open Desktop/Server   Version 3.0 is NOT vulnerable.

  Binary versions of ftpd will be available shortly from the SCO ftp
  site:
      ftp://ftp.sco.com/SSE/sse021.ltr - cover letter
      ftp://ftp.sco.com/SSE/sse021.tar.Z - replacement binaries

  Notes:

   This fix is a binary for the following SCO operating systems:

      % SCO UnixWare 7.0.1 and earlier releases (not UnixWare 2.1.x)
      % SCO OpenServer 5.0.5 and earlier releases

   For the latest security bulletins and patches for SCO products,
   please refer to http://www.sco.com/security/.

% IBM Corporation

  % AIX         Versions 4.1.x, 4.2.x, and 4.3.x ARE NOT vulnerable.

% Hewlett-Packard

  % HPUX        Versions 10.x and 11.x ARE NOT vulnerable.

  HP is continuing their investigation.

% Sun Microsystems, Inc.

  % SunOS       All versions ARE NOT vulnerable.
  % Solaris     All versions ARE NOT vulnerable.

% Microsoft, Inc.

  % IIS         Versions 3.0 and 4.0 ARE NOT vulnerable.

% Compaq Computer Corporation

  % Digital UNIX                V40b - V40e ARE NOT vulnerable.
  % TCP/IP(UCX) for OpenVMS     V4.1, V4.2, V5.0 ARE NOT vulnerable.

% Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI)

  % IRIX and Unicos

     Currently, Silicon Graphics, Inc. is investigating and no further
     information is available for public release at this time.

     As further information becomes available, additional advisories
     will be issued via the normal SGI security information distribution
     method including the wiretap mailing list.

     Silicon Graphics Security Headquarters
     http://www.sgi.com/Support/security/

% NetBSD

  % NetBSD      All versions ARE NOT vulnerable.

[Appendix C, Netect Contact Information]

Copyright (c) 1999 by Netect, Inc.

The information contained herein is the property of Netect, Inc.

The contact for this advisory is Jordan Ritter .  PGP
signed/encrypted email is preferred.

Visit http://www.netect.com/ for more information.

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   CERT/CC has received the following additional information:

  Fujitsu [NOT vulnerable]

  Fujitsu's UXP/V operating system is not vulnerable.  The reason behind this
  is the ftod of UXP/V does not have static buffers to store the current
  working directory.

  Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI)

  IRIX and Unicos
         IRIX operating system is not vulnerable.

  Cray Unicos and Unicos MK
          Unicos and Unicos/MK is not vulnerable.
   ______________________________________________________________________

   This document is available from:
   http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-99-03-FTP-Buffer-Overflows.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 personnel answer the hotline 08:00-20:00 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
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   To be added to our mailing list for advisories and bulletins, send
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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.
   ______________________________________________________________________

Revision History

Jul 07, 1999  Added updated information for Silicon Graphics, Inc. (SGI)
Mar 16, 1999  Additional information for Fujitsu has been added

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