iDefense Security Advisory 11.02.07
http://labs.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/
Nov 02, 2007

I. BACKGROUND

The srsexec utility is part of the SRS Proxy Core package that is
available with Solaris 10. This package is used to monitor the
performance of clients running Solaris from a centralized
administrative console. This software would be installed on all of the
client machines being monitored and is set-uid root by default. More
information is available at the vendor's site.

http://www.sun.com/service/netconnect/

II. DESCRIPTION

Local exploitation of a format string vulnerability in the srsexec
binary, optionally included in Sun Microsystems Inc.'s Solaris 10,
allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges.

The vulnerability exists since attacker supplied data is passed directly
to the syslog() function as the format string. This allows an attacker
to overwrite arbitrary memory with arbitrary data, and can result in
the execution of arbitrary code with root privileges.

III. ANALYSIS

Exploitation results in the execution of arbitrary code with root
privileges. In order to exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must
have the ability to execute the set-uid root binary.

The SRS Proxy Core package is not installed by default, but it is a
common application.

IV. DETECTION

iDefense has confirmed the existence of this vulnerability in Solaris 10
with the SUNWsrspx package installed. In order to determine if this
package is installed, an administrator can execute the following
command:

  pkginfo SUNWsrspx

If this command returns 'ERROR: information for "SUNWsrspx" was not
found', then the system does not have the affected package installed
and is not vulnerable.

V. WORKAROUND

To prevent exploitation of this vulnerability, remove the set-uid bit
from the srsexec binary as shown below.

  # chmod -s /opt/SUNWsrspx/bin/srsexec

VI. VENDOR RESPONSE

Sun Microsystems has addressed this vulnerability by releasing patches.
For more information, consult Sun Alert 103119 at the following URL.

http://sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-103119-1

VII. CVE INFORMATION

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned the
name CVE-2007-3880 to this issue. This is a candidate for inclusion in
the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org/), which standardizes names for
security problems.

VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE

07/18/2007  Initial vendor notification
07/18/2007  Initial vendor response
11/02/2007  Public disclosure

IX. CREDIT

This vulnerability was discovered by Sean Larsson of VeriSign iDefense
Labs.

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X. LEGAL NOTICES

Copyright © 2007 iDefense, Inc.

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Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate
at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use
of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition.
 There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the
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reliance on, this information.