Re: "Javier Sanchez" jsanchez157at_private 02/25/2002 11:14 AM, Symantec LiveUpdate

From: Sym Security (symsecurityat_private)
Date: Thu Feb 28 2002 - 14:49:54 PST

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    Re:  "Javier Sanchez" jsanchez157at_private 02/25/2002 11:14 AM, Symantec
    LiveUpdate
    
    Norton Antivirus Corporate Edition includes LiveUpdate.  LiveUpdate stores
    Username and Password information in cleartext in the registry.  Depending
    on your implementation, you may not need LiveUpdate installed at all on
    your
    clients.
    
    I brought this to Symantec's attention months ago.  Since then a new
    version
    of LiveUpdate has been released.  The information is still not encrypted.
    
    Any user with the client installed can run "regedit" search for "password"
    and viola!
    
    Here's a "fix":
    Paste the following into a .reg file (i.e. nav.reg) and push it out to your
    clients via login script or whatever:
    REGEDIT4
    
    [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\INTEL\LANDesk\VirusProtect6\CurrentVersion\LiveUpdateSource]
    "Login"=-
    "Password"=-
    
    Symantec Response:
    Symantec's Norton AntiVirus Corporate Edition provides the administrator
    the ability to push LiveUpdate definitions out to individual clients or to
    configure each client with a read-only username and password access to an
    internal local LiveUpdate server to download local updates.  While the
    local username and password were stored in the registry in the clear in
    LiveUpdate 1.5, LiveUpdate 1.6 and later versions encrypt this username and
    password by default
    
    Symantec would like to emphasis that in all instances, the username and
    password pair is NOT connected with authentication to access Symantec's
    LiveUpdate server. The username and password in question is ONLY associated
    with the local network internal server.
    Symantec is aware of the issue addressed by Mr. Sanchez and it is not a
    LiveUpdate issue.  Rather it is an internal server issue when passing the
    username and password to the client system that is affecting the password
    encryption causing the clear text exposure.  This problem is currently
    being addressed and will be available for update as soon as it is fully
    tested.
    
    Symantec appreciates the concern of Mr. Sanchez and takes the security of
    our products very seriously.  We would like to re-emphasize however, that
    this read-only username/password is for internal server access only.
    Additionally, if company policy is such that all updates are controlled at
    a centralized server and pushed out to client systems, the issue in
    question does not exist.
    
    Disclaimer:
    The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of
    printing 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 author nor the
    publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect or consequential
    loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on this information.
    Symantec, Symantec product names and Sym Security are Registered Trademarks
    of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies in the United States and
    other countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks
    represented in this document are the sole property of their respective
    companies
    



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