Cisco Security Advisory: Vulnerability in zlib library

From: Cisco Systems Product Security Incident Response Team (psirtat_private)
Date: Wed Apr 03 2002 - 08:47:49 PST

  • Next message: Patrik Karlsson: "iXsecurity.20020313.nw6remotemanager.a"

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    Cisco Security Advisory: Vulnerability in the zlib Compression Library
    
    Revision 1.0
    
    For Public Release 2002 April 03 16:00 (UTC +0000)
    
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    Contents
    
        Summary
        Affected Products
        Details
        Impact
        Software Versions and Fixes
        Obtaining Fixed Software
        Workarounds
        Exploitation and Public Announcements
        Status of This Notice
        Distribution
        Revision History
        Cisco Security Procedures
    
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    Summary
    =======
    There is a vulnerability in the zlib compression library. This code is used
    in multiple applications. While we have not identified any Cisco product
    that is directly impacted by the vulnerability, there are several products
    that are using third-party modules that are vulnerable or that are running
    on an operating system that is vulnerable. This vulnerability has been
    publicly disclosed.
    
    Cisco PSIRT is still evaluating which products are affected by this
    vulnerability.
    
    There is no workaround for this vulnerability.
    
    This advisory is available at 
    http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/zlib-double-free.shtml.
    
    Affected Products
    =================
    The following products are affected:
    
    Cache Software/ACNS
          + Content Engine 507, 560, 590, and 7320 running Cache Software 3.1.1
            or Application and Content Networking Software 4.0.x or 4.1.1
          + Content Router 4430 and Content Distribution Manager 4630 and 4650
            running Application and Content Networking Software 4.0.x or 4.1.1
    
    ME1100
        This product reached the end-of-life state in 2001. This product is no
        longer supported, and customers are strongly advised to migrate to a
        recent product.
    
    Cisco Intrusion Detection System
        Cisco IDS sensor appliances (part numbers IDS-4210, IDS-4220-E and
        IDS-4230-xx) are vulnerable if the sensor version as reported by nrvers
        is in the range 3.0(1) through 3.0(5) inclusive. The C6000 IDSM (part
        number WS-X6381-IDS) is not vulnerable.
    
    Metro 1500 DWDM
        All releases prior the software release 3.3b.
    
    Hosting Solution Engine (HSE)
        HSE releases 1.0 and 1.3 are vulnerable.
    
    We are still evaluating the rest of Cisco products against this
    vulnerability.
    
    We have verified that the following products are not vulnerable or that
    exposure is negligible. Note that this is not an exhaustive list.
    
      * Cisco IOSŪ
      * Cisco CatOS
      * Cisco SN 5420 Storage Routers
      * PIX Firewall
      * VPN 3000, 3500
      * User Registration Tool (URT)
    
    Some products, such as Cisco IOS, use compressed images. In order to
    utilize this attack vector, an attacker would have to prepare a tampered
    distribution image and try to load it onto a device. That implies either
    physical or administrative access to the device. By having such access, an
    attacker is in a position to execute many other attacks, some of which are
    much easier to accomplish. Although Cisco will incorporate the fixed
    version of zlib in the subsequent software releases for products that
    belong to this category, that fact will not be reflected in this advisory.
    
    Details
    =======
    There is a bug in the decompression algorithm used by the popular zlib
    compression library. By sending a crafted block of invalid compressed data,
    an attacker can cause the application to corrupt internal data. This
    happens when the application tries to uncompress the data.
    
    In most cases this vulnerability will cause denial of service. However,
    depending on the right circumstances and applications, there is a potential
    that an attacker could execute an arbitrary code. This code would then be
    executed using the privileges of the application in question.
    
    Impact
    ======
    By repeatedly exploiting this vulnerability, an attacker can cause denial
    of service. It is possible that an attacker may be able to execute an
    arbitrary code on the target machine. In that case, this may lead to a
    partial or total compromise of the machine in question.
    
    Software Versions and Fixes
    ===========================
    Cache Software/ACNS
        ACNS 4.1.3 is the fixed release. It will be available in the second
        half of April 2002.
    
    ME1100
        This product has reached the end-of-life state and the fix is not
        scheduled. Customers are strongly advised to migrate to a recent
        product.
    
    Cisco Intrusion Detection System
        Sensor appliance software version 3.1(1) is the first fixed release. It
        will be available on April 16, 2002.
    
    Metro 1500 DWDM
        The software release 3.3b is the first fixed release. It will be
        available on April 5, 2002.
    
    Hosting Solution Engine
        HSE release 1.4 contains the fix. It will be available on April 15,
        2002.
    
    Obtaining Fixed Software
    ========================
    Cisco is offering free software upgrades to address this vulnerability for
    all affected customers. Customers may only install and expect support for
    the feature sets they have purchased.
    
    Customers with service contracts should contact their regular update
    channels to obtain any software release containing the feature sets they
    have purchased. For most customers with service contracts, this means that
    upgrades should be obtained through the Software Center on Cisco's
    Worldwide Web site at http://www.cisco.com.
    
    Customers whose Cisco products are provided or maintained through prior or
    existing agreement with third-party support organizations such as Cisco
    Partners, authorized resellers, or service providers should contact that
    support organization for assistance with the upgrade.
    
    Customers who purchased directly from Cisco but who do not hold a Cisco
    service contract, and customers who purchase through third party vendors
    but are unsuccessful at obtaining fixed software through their point of
    sale, should obtain fixed software by contacting the Cisco Technical
    Assistance Center (TAC). In these cases, customers may only upgrade to a
    later version of the same release or as indicated by the applicable entry
    in the Software Versions and Fixes section.
    
      * +1 800 553 2447 (toll-free from within North America)
      * +1 408 526 7209 (toll call from anywhere in the world)
      * e-mail: tacat_private
    
    See http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/687/Directory/DirTAC.shtml for
    additional TAC contact information, including special localized telephone
    numbers and instructions and e-mail addresses for use in various languages.
    
    Please have your product serial number available and give the URL of this
    notice as evidence of your entitlement to a free upgrade.
    
    Please do not contact either "psirtat_private" or
    "security-alertat_private" for software upgrades.
    
    Workarounds
    ===========
    There is no workaround for this vulnerability.
    
    Exploitation and Public Announcements
    =====================================
    This vulnerability was publicly announced by third parties on March 21,
    2002. The related advisories can be found at:
    
      * http://www.cert.org/advisories/CA-2002-07.html
      * http://www.gzip.org/zlib/advisory-2002-03-11.txt
    
    Status of This Notice: INTERIM
    ==============================
    This is an interim security advisory. Cisco anticipates issuing updated
    versions of this notice at irregular intervals as there are material
    changes in the facts, and will continue to update this notice as necessary.
    The reader is warned that this notice may contain inaccurate or incomplete
    information. Although Cisco cannot guarantee the accuracy of all statements
    in this notice, all of the facts have been checked to the best of our
    ability. Cisco anticipates issuing monthly updates of this notice until it
    reaches FINAL status.
    
    A standalone copy or paraphrase of the text of this security advisory that
    omits the distribution URL in the following section is an uncontrolled
    copy, and may lack important information or contain factual errors.
    
    Distribution
    ============
    This notice will be posted on Cisco's Worldwide Web site at http://
    www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/zlib-double-free.shtml In addition to
    Worldwide Web posting, a text version of this notice is clear-signed with
    the Cisco PSIRT PGP key and is posted to the following e-mail and Usenet
    news recipients:
    
      * cust-security-announceat_private
      * bugtraqat_private
      * first-teamsat_private (includes CERT/CC)
      * ciscoat_private
      * comp.dcom.sys.cisco
      * firewallsat_private
      * Various internal Cisco mailing lists
    
    Future updates of this notice, if any, will be placed on Cisco's Worldwide
    Web server, but may or may not be actively announced on mailing lists or
    newsgroups. Users concerned about this problem are encouraged to check the
    URL given above for any updates.
    
    Revision History
    ================
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    |Revision 1.0|2002-April-03 16:00 UTC+0000|Initial public release|
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    Cisco Security Procedures
    =========================
    Complete information on reporting security vulnerabilities in Cisco
    products, obtaining assistance with security incidents, and registering to
    receive security information from Cisco, is available on Cisco's Worldwide
    Web site at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/sec_incident_response.shtml
    This includes instructions for press inquiries regarding Cisco security 
    notices. 
    
    All Cisco Security Advisories are available at 
    http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.
    
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    This notice is Copyright 2002 by Cisco Systems, Inc. This notice may be
    redistributed freely after the release date given at the top of the text,
    provided that redistributed copies are complete and unmodified, and include
    all date and version information.
    
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