[SA-2002:00] Slashcode login vulunerability

From: Chris Nandor (pudgeat_private)
Date: Thu Jan 10 2002 - 08:01:58 PST

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    [SA-2002:00] Slashcode login vulunerability
    
    
    RISK FACTOR: HIGH
    
    
    SYNOPSIS
    
    Slash, the code that runs Slashdot and many other web sites, has a
    vulnerability in recent versions that allows any logged-in user to
    log in as any other user.
    
    This allows users to take nearly full control of a Slash system (post
    and delete stories, posting stories, edit users, post as other users,
    etc., and do anything that a Slash user can do) by logging in to
    an adminstrator's Slash account.
    
    
    VULNERABLE SYSTEMS
    
    Any system running Slash 2.1.x (development versions for 2.2), 2.2.0,
    2.2.1, or 2.2.2, and sites using the development code from CVS.  Slash
    2.0.x and previous are unaffected.
    
    
    RESOLUTION
    
    Slash 2.2.3 should be installed for all Slash 2.1 and 2.2 sites.
    Users of the development code from CVS should run cvs update and install
    the most recent code.
    
    In the meantime, if upgrading is not possible or will not happen
    immediately, site administrators should either shut down the web site
    or disable admin.pl and users.pl by moving them elsewhere or disabling
    the execution bits (Apache may need to be restarted following this).
    
    Further, site administrators should change their passwords, and check
    the "seclev" field in the users table to make sure no one has a seclev
    greater to or equal than "100" who should not have administrator
    privileges:
    
      mysql> SELECT uid, nickname, seclev FROM users WHERE seclev >= 100;
    
    That should list only users with some administrator privileges.
    
    Site administrators should subscribe to the slashcode-general or
    slashcode-announce mailing lists, to keep up to date on the latest
    releases and security notices.  Subscription information is on the
    Slashcode site at http://slashcode.com/.
    
    
    CREDITS
    
    Daniel Bowers <danielat_private> found and exploited the bug, and
    notified the Slash team.  The Slash team immediately patched the code
    and released Slash 2.2.3 three hours after notification.
    
    
    CONTACT INFORMATION
    
    Chris Nandor, pudgeat_private
    http://slashcode.com/
    



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