__________________________________________________________ The U.S. Department of Energy Computer Incident Advisory Capability ___ __ __ _ ___ / | /_\ / \___ __|__ / \ \___ __________________________________________________________ INFORMATION BULLETIN Sun Cobalt PHP SafeMode Vulnerability [Sun Alert ID: 46724] May 7, 2003 18:00 GMT Number N-091 ______________________________________________________________________________ PROBLEM: Sun has identified a vulnerability in PHP SafeMode with the privileges of the HTTP process. The HTTP process normally runs as the unprivileged uid 'nobody' (uid 60001). PLATFORM: Sun Cobalt RaQs and Qubes DAMAGE: Exploiting this vulnerability could allow local or remote attackers the ability to execute arbitrary code. SOLUTION: Apply available patches. ______________________________________________________________________________ VULNERABILITY The risk is HIGH. PHP 4.0.5 through 4.1.0 in safe mode does not ASSESSMENT: properly cleanse the 5th parameter to the mail() function, which allows local users and possibly remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters. ______________________________________________________________________________ LINKS: CIAC BULLETIN: http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/n-091.shtml ORIGINAL BULLETIN: http://sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsalert% 2F46724&zone_32=category%3Asecurity PATCHES: http://sunsolve.sun.com/cobalt/ http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raq4/eng/RaQ4-All- Security-2.0.1-15959.pkg http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/qube3/ml/Qube3-All- Security-4.0.1-15959.pkg http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raq550/all/RaQ550- All-Security-0.0.1-15959.pkg http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raqxtr/eng/RaQXTR- All-Security-1.0.1-15959.pkg ftp://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/products/sunlinux/5.0/en/ updates/i386/update_5_0_3/ ______________________________________________________________________________ [***** Start Sun Alert ID: 46724 *****] Sun(sm) Alert Notification Sun Alert ID: 46724 Synopsis: The PHP on Sun/Cobalt Platforms Have Exploitable Vulnerabilities Category: Security Product: Sun Cobalt RaQs and Qubes BugIDs: 15959 Avoidance: Workaround, Patch State: Resolved Date Released: 28-Aug-2002, 06-May-2003 Date Closed: 06-May-2003 Date Modified: 06-May-2003 1. Impact A local or remote unprivileged user may be able to execute arbitrary code on Sun Cobalt systems due to a vulnerability in PHP SafeMode with the privileges of the HTTP process. The HTTP process normally runs as the unprivileged uid 'nobody' (uid 60001). In order for a remote unprivileged user to exploit this issue, the existing PHP pages must use a variable as the fifth parameter in the mail() command. The ability to execute arbitrary code as the unprivileged uid 'nobody' may lead to modified Web content, denial of service, or further compromise. Please see the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project at http://cve.mitre.org and reference CAN-2001-1246 at http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2001-1246. An additional reference is http://www.iss.net/security_center/static/6787.php. 2. Contributing Factors This issue can occur in the following releases: 2800 Workgroup NTT/KOBE(2800WGJ-KOBE) mod_php3-3.0.7-1C3j.mips.rpm mod_php3-doc-3.0.7-1C3j.mips.rpm RaQ4 no raid(3001R) php-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm RaQ4 Japanese no raid(3001R-ja) php-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm RaQ4 RAID(3100R) php-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm RaQ4 Japanese RAID(3100R-ja) php-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C1.i386.rpm RaQ XTR(3500R) php-4.0.3pl1-C1r5.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.3pl1-C1r5.i386.rpm RaQ XTR Japanese(3500R-ja) php-4.0.3pl1-C1r5.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.3pl1-C1r5.i386.rpm Qube3(4000WG) php-4.0.1-C7q3.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C5q3.i386.rpm Qube 3 Japanese(4000WGJ) php-4.0.3pl1-C1q3.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.3pl1-C1q3.i386.rpm Qube3 w/ Caching(4010WG) php-4.0.1-C7q3.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C5q3.i386.rpm Qube3 Japanese w/ Caching(4010WGJ) php-4.0.3pl1-C1q3.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.3pl1-C1q3.i386.rpm Control Station Production(4100CS) php-4.0.3pl1-C1r6.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.3pl1-C1r6.i386.rpm RaQ 550 (4100R) php-devel-4.0.6-C4.i386.rpm php-4.0.6-C4.i386.rpm Qube3 w/ Caching and RAID(4100WG) php-4.0.1-C7q3.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.1-C5q3.i386.rpm Qube3 Japanese w/ Caching and RAID(4100WGJ) php-4.0.3pl1-C1q3.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.3pl1-C1q3.i386.rpm Sun LX50 (Sun Linux 5.0) php-4.0.6-12.i386.rpm php-devel-4.0.6-12.i386.rpm php-imap-4.0.6-12.i386.rpm php-ldap-4.0.6-12.i386.rpm php-mysql-4.0.6-12.i386.rpm php-odbc-4.0.6-12.i386.rpm php-manual-4.0.6-12.noarch.rpm Notes: PHP is an HTML-embedded scripting language commonly used with Apache. PHP versions 4.0.5 through 4.1.0 in safe mode do not properly cleanse the 5th parameter to the mail() function. This vulnerability allows local users and possibly remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands via shell metacharacters. 3. Symptoms Unusual entries in the web server logs could indicate that someone is attempting to gain entry through this issue. Any abnormal and/or unauthorized system activity, including, but not limited to, defaced web pages, unknown user accounts appearing on the system, and abnormal network traffic or listening TCP/UDP ports. Solution Summary Top 4. Relief/Workaround Until fixes for these vulnerabilities can be applied, disable all applications (as mentioned above in Contributing Factors) that use vulnerable implementations of PHP. 5. Resolution This issue is addressed in the following releases: Cobalt platform Patches are available for all affected Cobalt platforms at: http://sunsolve.sun.com/cobalt/. For RaQ 4: http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raq4/eng/RaQ4-All-Security-2.0.1-15959.pkg Qube 3: http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/qube3/ml/Qube3-All-Security-4.0.1-15959.pkg RaQ 550: http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raq550/all/RaQ550-All-Security-0.0.1-15959.pkg RaQ XTR: http://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/packages/raqxtr/eng/RaQXTR-All-Security-1.0.1-15959.pkg Sun LX50 (Sun Linux 5.0): ftp://ftp.cobalt.sun.com/pub/products/sunlinux/5.0/en/updates/i386/update_5_0_3/ Change History 06-May-2003: State: Resolved Updated Resolution section This Sun Alert notification is being provided to you on an "AS IS" basis. This Sun Alert notification may contain information provided by third parties. The issues described in this Sun Alert notification may or may not impact your system(s). Sun makes no representations, warranties, or guarantees as to the information contained herein. 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[***** End Sun Alert ID: 46724 *****] _______________________________________________________________________________ CIAC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Sun Microsystems for the information contained in this bulletin. _______________________________________________________________________________ CIAC, the Computer Incident Advisory Capability, is the computer security incident response team for the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the emergency backup response team for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). CIAC is located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Livermore, California. CIAC is also a founding member of FIRST, the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams, a global organization established to foster cooperation and coordination among computer security teams worldwide. CIAC services are available to DOE, DOE contractors, and the NIH. 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