BSD/Qualcomm qpopper Vulnerability

[agent99 () BOYTOY CSD SGI COM (SGI Security Coordinator)]

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______________________________________________________________________________
                Silicon Graphics Inc. Security Advisory

        Title:   BSD/Qualcomm qpopper Vulnerability
        Title:   CERT CA-98.08
        Number:  19980801-01-I
        Date:    August 6, 1998
______________________________________________________________________________

Silicon Graphics provides this information freely to the SGI user community
for its consideration, interpretation, implementation and use.   Silicon
Graphics recommends that this information be acted upon as soon as possible.

Silicon Graphics provides the information in this Security Advisory on
an "AS-IS" basis only, and disclaims all warranties with respect thereto,
express, implied or otherwise, including, without limitation, any warranty
of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.  In no event shall
Silicon Graphics be liable for any loss of profits, loss of business, loss
of data or for any indirect, special, exemplary, incidental or consequential
damages of any kind arising from your use of, failure to use or improper
use of any of the instructions or information in this Security Advisory.
______________________________________________________________________________


As a followup to the CERT(sm) Advisory CA-98.08 "Vulnerability POP",
Silicon Graphics has investigated and provides the following information.


- -----------------------
- --- Issue Specifics ---
- -----------------------

The Post Office Protocol (POP) provides users with an alternative means to
process and retrieve their email.

CERT has reported that a buffer overflow vulnerability has been discovered
in certain versions of POP servers based on BSD/Qualcomm's qpopper which can
allow remote users to obtain root access.

Silicon Graphics Inc. has investigated the issue and recommends the
following steps for neutralizing the exposure.  It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
that these measures be implemented on ALL vulnerable SGI systems.


- --------------
- --- Impact ---
- --------------

Silicon Graphics distributes a freeware BSD/Qualcomm POP server called
fw_BSDqpopper  which is on the  Freeware 1.0/2.0 CD  and also on the
WebFORCE CDs.

fw_BSDqpopper is also available from the web via
http://toolbox.sgi.com/TasteOfDT/public/

BSD/Qualcomm's qpopper v2.41 and prior versions are vulnerable to the
buffer overflow vulnerability.

This vulnerability was reported by CERT(sm) in Advisory CA-98.08.

This vulnerability has been publically discussed in Usenet newsgroups
and mailing lists.


- --------------------------
- --- Temporary Solution ---
- --------------------------

Although new releases of BSD/Qualcomm qpopper may be available to fix
this issue, it is realized that there may be situations where installing
the new release immediately may not be possible.

To determine if a system is vulnerable to this problem and to remove
the programs that are believed to be vulnerable, use the following steps.

     1) Check to see if the vulnerable subsystem is installed.
        Versions 2.41 and prior of fw_BSDqpopper are vulnerable.

        % versions -b fw_BSDqpopper
           Name           Date      Description
        I  fw_BSDqpopper  07/01/97  BSD/Qualcomm POP (Post Office Protocol)
                                    Server version 2.1.4

     2) Become the root user on the system.

        % /bin/su -
        Password:
        #


     3) Remove the vulnerable subsystem.

        # versions remove fw_BSDqpopper


     4) Return to previous level.

        # exit
        %


        When possible, install an updated version of BSD/Qualcomm qpopper.


- ----------------
- --- Solution ---
- ----------------

No Silicon Graphics patches are available for freeware software.

As freeware software, all reasonable efforts will be made to address
the issue in future releases of the Silicon Graphics Freeware
distribution.  Updates to IRIX freeware software will be hosted at
http://freeware.sgi.com/

An update to qpopper can be found at Qualcomm's web site:
http://eudora.qualcomm.com/free/servers.html


- ------------------------
- --- Acknowledgments ---
- ------------------------

Silicon Graphics wishes to thank the CERT Coordination Center for their
assistance in this matter.


- -----------------------------------------------------------
- --- Silicon Graphics Inc. Security Information/Contacts ---
- -----------------------------------------------------------

If there are questions about this document, email can be sent to
cse-security-alert () sgi com.

                      ------oOo------

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                      ------oOo------

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                      ------oOo------

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______________________________________________________________________________
  This information is provided freely to all interested parties and may
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  Graphics is appropriately credited and the document retains and
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