University of Washington imapd daemon Vulnerability

From: SGI Security Coordinator (agent99at_private)
Date: Thu Aug 06 1998 - 15:18:41 PDT

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    ______________________________________________________________________________
                    Silicon Graphics Inc. Security Advisory
    
            Title:   University of Washington imapd daemon Vulnerability
            Title:   CERT CA-98.09
            Number:  19980802-01-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-98.09 "Buffer Overflow in Some
    Implementations of IMAP Servers", Silicon Graphics has investigated and
    provides the following information.
    
    
    - -----------------------
    - --- Issue Specifics ---
    - -----------------------
    
    The IMAP and 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 IMAP servers based on University of Washington imapd
    daemon 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 University of Washington imapd
    daemon called fw_imap which is available from the web via
    http://freeware.sgi.com/
    
    The University of Washington imapd daemon 4.1.BETA v10.234 and prior
    versions are vulnerable.
    
    This vulnerability was reported in CERT(sm) Advisory CA-98.09.
    
    This vulnerability has been publically discussed in Usenet newsgroups
    and mailing lists.
    
    
    - --------------------------
    - --- Temporary Solution ---
    - --------------------------
    
    Although new releases of University of Washington imapd daemon 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.
            4.1-BETA and prior of fw_imap are vulnerable.
    
            % versions -b fw_imap
               Name           Date      Description
            I  fw_imap        07/31/98  imap-4.1.BETA U. of Washington
                                        POP2/POP3/IMAP4 daemons
    
    
         2) Become the root user on the system.
    
            % /bin/su -
            Password:
            #
    
    
         3) Remove the vulnerable subsystem.
    
            # versions remove fw_imap
    
    
         4) Return to previous level.
    
            # exit
            %
    
    
            When possible, install an updated version of University of
            Washington imapd daemon.
    
    
    - ----------------
    - --- 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 imapd daemon can be found at University of Washington ftp server:
    ftp://ftp.cac.washington.edu/mail/imap.tar.Z
    
    
    - ------------------------
    - --- Acknowledgments ---
    - ------------------------
    
    Silicon Graphics wishes to thank the CERT Coordination Center for their
    assistance in this matter.
    
    
    - -----------------------------------------------------------
    - --- Silicon Graphics Inc. Security Information/Contacts ---
    - -----------------------------------------------------------
    
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