[SNS Advisory No.55 rev.2] Eudora 5.x for Windows Buffer Overflow Vulnerability

From: Atsushi Nishimura (a.nisimrat_private)
Date: Wed Aug 07 2002 - 18:15:21 PDT

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    SNS Advisory No.55
    Eudora 5.x for Windows Buffer Overflow Vulnerability rev.2
    
    Problem first discovered: 6 Jun 2002
    Published: 5 Aug 2002
    Last revised: 8 Aug 2002
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    Overview:
    ---------
      Eudora 5.x for Windows contains a buffer overflow vulnerability, 
      which could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code.
    
    Problem Description:
    --------------------
      Eudora developed and distributed by QUALCOMM Inc. 
      (http://www.qualcomm.com/), is a Mail User Agent running on Windows 
      95/98/2000/ME/NT 4.0 and MacOS 8.1 or later.
    
      The buffer overflow occurs when Eudora receives a message using 139 bytes
      or more of string as a boundary, which is used to divide a multi-part
      message into separate parts. In our verification environment, we have
      found that this could allow arbitrary commands to be executed. 
    
    Tested Version:
    ---------------
      Eudora 5.0-J for Windows (Ver.5.0.2-Jr2 trial) [Japanese]
      Eudora 5.1.1 for Windows (Sponsored Mode) [English]
    
    Tested OS:
    ----------
      Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional SP2 [Japanese]
      Microsoft Windows 98 SE [Japanese]
    
    Solution:
    ---------
      You can limit your exposure to this problem by using a content filtering
      software which screen out email messages using 139 bytes or more of
      string as a boundary.
    
      QUALCOMM Inc. reported that this problem will be fixed in the next
      release [English].
      
      Livin' on the EDGE Co., Ltd. eported that this problem will be fixed in
      Eudora5.1-J for Windows [Japanese] of the next release.
    
    Communication background:
    -------------------------
     6 Jun 2002  : We discovered the vulnerability.
     6 Jun 2002  : We reported the findings to win-eudora-bugsat_private 
     14 Jun 2002 : the findings were reported again to
                   win-eudora-bugsat_private
     17 Jun 2002 : We contacted QUALCOMM Inc. .
     18 Jun 2002 : QUALCOMM Inc. sent a reply stating that they had started an
                   investigation of the problem.
     3 Jul 2002  : We asked QUALCOMM Inc. about the progress of the
                   investigation
     19 Jul 2002 : We asked QUALCOMM Inc. again about the progress of the
                   investigation
     24 Jul 2002 : We informed QUALCOMM Inc. about the announcement schedule
                   of this advisory
     25 Jul 2002 : QUALCOMM Inc. reported that this problem will be fixed in
                   the next release
     5 Aug 2002  : We decided to disclose this vulnerability due to concern
                   over the potential consequences this issue may cause.
                   win-eudora-bugsat_private has not provided any comments
                   on this issue as of August 5, 2002.
     6 Aug 2002  : It turns out that connection has not reached Livin' on the
                   EDGE Co., Ltd. (user support of Japanese version).  Livin'
                   on the EDGE Co., Ltd. reported that this problem will be
                   fixed in the next release immediately.
    
    Discovered by:
    --------------
      Nobuo Miwa (LAC / n-miwaat_private)
    
    Revision History:
    -----------------
     5 Aug 2002  : * Initial release
     8 Aug 2002  : * Added the detail of problem description
                   * Changed "Livin' on the EDGE Co., Ltd." into 
                     "win-eudora-bugsat_private"
                   * Added mitigation strategy to Solution
                   * Added the information from Livin' on the EDGE Co., Ltd. to
                     Solution
                   * Added the report from Livin' on the EDGE Co., Ltd. to
                     Communication background
    
    Disclaimer:
    -----------
      All information in these advisories are subject to change without any 
      advanced notices neither mutual consensus, and each of them is released 
      as it is. LAC Co.,Ltd. is not responsible for any risks of occurrences 
      caused by applying those information.
    
    ------------------------------------------------------------------
    SecureNet Service(SNS) Security Advisory <snsadvat_private>
    Computer Security Laboratory, LAC  http://www.lac.co.jp/security/
    



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