Reply-To: Halcyon Skinner <hskinner@JHSPH.EDU>


Vulnerable Application:
Sun Microsystems NetBeans (recently renamed to Forte') Java IDE

Versions tested:
Netbeans Developer 3.0 Beta
Forte Community Edition 1.0 Beta
unknown if earlier versions have vulnerability

Platform tested:
Windows NT 4.0
unknown if other platforms have vulnerability

Description:
The IDE includes an internal HTTP server to try Java code.  The settings
indicate that access must be explicitly granted on a per IP address bases.
However, when service is enabled for one machine, the HTTP server allows
remote access to root and all subdirectories from any machine.  NOTE, for
the NetBeans 3.0 Beta version, this is the default activity.  Therefore, no
action is required by the user for the vulnerability to exist.  Under the
Forte' 1.0 Beta version, a user must enable at least one address in the
HTTP server settings for the vulnerability to exist.  However, once a
single IP address is entered, any machine can connect to the internal HTTP
server port (default is 8082).  Even if all IP addresses are removed, the
server continues to allow connections when the IDE is running.

Example:
While the IDE is running connecting with any browser to
http://vvv.xxx.yyy.zzz:8082/..
provides a listing of the root directory.
Sub-directories can then be accessed.

Solution (work around):
1) Set the HTTP Server "Enable" setting to False in Project settings.
or
2) Remove the HTTP Server module in Global settings.

Vendor notified: Yes.