Cisco Security Advisory: TFTP Long Filename Vulnerability

From: Cisco Systems Product Security Incident Response Team (psirtat_private)
Date: Tue Jul 30 2002 - 09:00:00 PDT

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    Cisco Security Advisory: TFTP Long Filename Vulnerability
    =========================================================
    
    Revision 1.0: Final
    
    For Public Release 2002 July 30 18:00 GMT
    
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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
    =======
    
    Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) is a protocol which allows for easy
    transfer of files between network connected devices. A vulnerability has been
    discovered in the processing of filenames within a TFTP read request when Cisco
    IOS is configured to act as a TFTP server.
    
    The following products are identified as affected by this vulnerability:
    
      * Cisco IOS software versions 11.1, 11.2, 11.3
    
    Unless explicitly stated otherwise, all other Cisco products are not affected.
    
    A simple workaround exists for this vulnerability which is detailed in the 
    Workarounds section below.
    
    This advisory is available at 
    http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/ios-tftp-long-filename-pub.shtml.
    
    Affected Products
    =================
    
    The following products are affected:
    
      * Cisco IOS software versions 11.1, 11.2, 11.3
    
    The following products are not affected:
    
      * Cisco IOS software versions 11.1, 11.2, 11.3 when running on a 68040 based
        architecture such as a Route Processor.
       
        Only this specific architecture is not vulnerable to a reload with the
        above generally affected versions. Other devices such as Route Switch
        Processors are affected. To verify which type of route processor you have,
        issue the command "show version" at the prompt on the router and look 
        for a string similar to:
       
        cisco RP1 (68040) processor (revision A0) with 16384K bytes of memory.
       
      * Cisco IOS software versions 12.0 and up.
    
    Details
    =======
    
    By sending a crafted TFTP read request it is possible to trigger a buffer
    overflow in the TFTP server when no alias for all files being served have been
    defined. This vulnerability can be exploited remotely. The successful
    exploitation may cause a software reset of the device.
    
    This vulnerability has been documented as CSCdy03429.
    
    Impact
    ======
    
    Successful exploitation of this vulnerability may cause a software reset of the
    device resulting in a loss of availability while the device reinitializes.
    Repeated exploitations could result in a Denial of Service until the
    workarounds for this vulnerability have been implemented.
    
    Software Versions and Fixes
    ===========================
    
    The affected releases, 11.1, 11.2, and 11.3, are all at End of Life, which
    means they do not have a maintenance version scheduled, and will not be fixed.
    It is recommended to use the documented workarounds if these versions must be
    used.
    
    Obtaining Fixed Software
    ========================
    
    As the affected versions are not scheduled to be fixed, and a simple workaround
    is available, a software upgrade is not required to address this vulnerability.
    However, if you have a service contract, and wish to upgrade to unaffected
    code, you may obtain upgraded software through your regular update channels.
    For most customers, this means that upgrades should be obtained through the
    Software Center on Cisco's Worldwide Web site at http://www.cisco.com.
    
    If you need assistance with the implementation of the workarounds, or have
    questions on the workarounds, please contact the Cisco Technical Assistance
    Center (TAC).
    
    Cisco TAC contacts are as follows:
    
      * +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 do not contact either "psirtat_private" or "security-alertat_private"
    for software upgrades.
    
    Workarounds
    ===========
    
    There are two workarounds known to address this issue.
    
    Disable the TFTP server entirely
    
    Cisco IOS provides TFTP server functionality to facilitate the transfer of
    Cisco IOS images when another TFTP server may not be available. If the TFTP
    server functionality is not currently needed, the following steps may be taken
    to disable the TFTP server.
    
     1. While in enable mode on the router, issue the command "show running-config"
        and look for lines starting with "tftp-server".
       
     2. For each line in the config starting with "tftp-server", prepend the 
        word "no" followed by a space followed by the full text of the matching 
        line in config mode to remove that entry. This step must be repeated 
        for each matching line of the config.
       
     3. Once this task has been completed, verify that there are no lines starting
        with "tftp-server" by issuing the command "show running-config" from 
        the enable prompt.
       
     4. Once verified, save the new configuration so that the server will be
        disabled upon the next reset of the device.
    
    Provide aliases for TFTP server filenames
    
    Cisco IOS provides the ability to alias a long filename to a shorter filename.
    If the tftp-server entries in the configuration have the keyword "alias" in
    them, the router will not be vulnerable to exploitation of this vulnerability.
    To implement this workaround, follow the directions above for disabling the
    TFTP server, and then add any configuration lines back to the config by
    appending the keyword "alias" followed by a short filename such that the
    command resembles:
    
        tftp-server flash rsp-jv-mz.111-24a alias CiscoIOS 
    
    Note that this must be done for every line starting with "tftp-server" in the
    configuration. The existence of a single line in the configuration beginning
    with "tftp-server" without an alias defined while running affected versions of
    software is all that is needed to become subject to this vulnerability.
    
    Exploitation and Public Announcements
    =====================================
    
    This vulnerability was announced on the BUGTRAQ mailing list on 2002-07-27 
    (http://online.securityfocus.com/archive/1/284634).
    
    The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any malicious use of the vulnerability
    described in this advisory.
    
    Status of This Notice: FINAL
    ============================
    
    This is a final notice. 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 does not anticipate issuing updated versions of this notice
    unless there is some material change in the facts. Should there be a
    significant change in the facts, Cisco may update this notice.
    
    Distribution
    ============
    
    This notice will be posted on Cisco's Worldwide Web site at 
    http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/ios-tftp-long-filename-pub.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
      * cisco-nspat_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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    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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