SuSE: Important Alert on Netscape 4.x Buffer Overflow Issues

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______________________________________________________________________________

 SuSE Security Announcement

 Package: Netscape, Versions 4.x, possibly others Date: Wednesday, August 23rd, 2000 03:30 MEST
 Affected SuSE versions: All
 Vulnerability Type: remote file viewing, remote buffer overflow
 Severity (1-10): 4, 7
 SuSE default package: yes
 Other affected systems: all linux systems using this package

 Content of this advisory:
 1) security vulnerability resolved: Netscape
 problem description, discussion, solution and upgrade information
 2) Correction/apology for perl thread, pending vulnerabilities,
 temporary workarounds
 3) standard appendix (further information)

______________________________________________________________________________

1) problem description, brief discussion, solution, upgrade information

 Two security problems exist in the netscape package as shipped with
 SuSE Linux distributions.
 a) Improper verification in Netscape's jpeg processing code can lead
 to a buffer overflow where data read from the network can overwrite
 memory. As a result, arbitrary code from a remote origin could be
 executed. The attack is particularly dangerous since it can penetrate
 firewall setups. Netscape version 4.74 fixes (fixed) this
 vulnerability.
 b) Due to an error in the java implementation in Netscape, it is
 possible for an attacker to view files and directories with the
 priviledges of the user running Netscape if the user visits a
 malisciously crafted webpage. This issue is known as "Brown
 Orifice" and requires the user to have Java enabled in her browser
 configuration. Again, this attack can penetrate firewall setups.
 See for details.

 Problem a) can be circumvented by disabling the automatic image
 loading in Netscape's configuration.
 The temporary workaround for problem b) is to disable Java in
 Netscape's configuration menu (to protect against other
 vulnerabilities, disable JavaScript, too!). Both countermeasures
 may widely be found inacceptable.

 SuSE provides an updated package for the vulnerable software. It is
 strongly recommended to upgrade to the latest version found on our
 ftp server as described below. The update package introduces
 Netscape version 4.75, including the SuSE-specific libraries that fix
 some of Netscape's "irregular" behaviour. Please note that
 Netscape-4.75 is not available for the glibc-2.0-based SuSE
 Distributions SuSE-6.0 and 6.1 because Netscape doesn't provide
 any files for this glibc version. For these distributions, we
 provide Netscape Version 4.74 which fixes problem a) only.
 Alternatively, the package for the libc5-based SuSE-5.3
 distribution can be used as well if the package 'shlibs5' is
 installed. This is recommended, since the 5.3 package may be
 faster and more reliable.

 Download the update package as described below and install the
 package with the command `rpm -Fhv file.rpm'. The md5sum for each
 file is in the line below. You can verify the integrity of the rpm
 files using the command
 `rpm --checksig --nogpg file.rpm',
 independently from the md5 signatures below.

 SuSE-6.4

 70289f88b4c9fc1a9867ba7dac985982

 SuSE-6.3

 70289f88b4c9fc1a9867ba7dac985982

 SuSE-6.2

 70289f88b4c9fc1a9867ba7dac985982

 SuSE-6.1, SuSE-6.0: We do _NOT_ provide Netscape packages of version
 4.75 because there is no such version from netscape that is linked
 against glibc2.0. We recommend to install the libc5 version from
 SuSE-5.3 (which requires the package shlibs5 installed).
 Netscape-4.74 (which fixes the security related bug in Netscape's
 jpeg library) is available though. Since this version does not provide
 a complete fix for Netscape's known security problems, we don't list
 any links to this version. Interested parties may find the packages
 at the corresponding places.

 SuSE-5.3

 679aaf67592244a07733bdabdab67729

 ***********************************************************************
 Please note that the path to netscape.rpm in the 6.0 and 6.1 update
 directories point to Netscape version 4.74 which doesn't fix problem b!
 See section above!
 ***********************************************************************
 Further mirrors can be found at
 SUSE – Open-Source-Lösungen für Enterprise Server und Cloud | SUSE but be
 advised that not all sites mirror the German part of the update
 directories.

 md5sums for the i386 Intel Platform (the only one supported):

 SuSE Versions 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 7.0:
 70289f88b4c9fc1a9867ba7dac985982 netscape-4.75.glibc21.i386.rpm

 SuSE Version 5.3 (libc5-based, probably faster, can be used on
 glibc2-based systems if the package shlibs5 is installed)
 679aaf67592244a07733bdabdab67729 netscape-4.75.libc5.i386.rpm

 SuSE Version 6.0 and 6.1, Netscape-4.74 with incomplete fixes:
 4bcc31fe37f7c8d226b437c1daa9b944 netscape-4.74.glibc20.i386.rpm

______________________________________________________________________________

2) Correction/Apology: In my posting to suse-security@suse.de and to
 bugtraq@ about the suidperl thread, Subject: "SuSE
 Security Announcement: suidperl (perl)", dated 10 Aug 2000, I wrote:
 "A maliciously implemented feature causes the interpreter to spawn
 the /bin/mail program to"..."
 This is a bad and embarrassing mistake because of a confusion about
 the word "maliciously" in this context - it was meant to read
 "inconsiderate".
 I apologize to the perl folks for this mistake.

 Pending vulnerabilities in SuSE Distributions and Workarounds:

 This section addresses currently known vulnerabilities in Linux/Unix
 systems that have not been resolved yet as of the release date of
 this advisory.

 - ntop

 ntop is a network statistics visualization utility which offers graphical analysis of network traffic and other statistics with
 a web browser. By default, ntop listens on port 3000 and requires
 no or a commonly known authentication password to view the data.
 ntop is only installed in network server selections and is not
 activated by default in SuSE Linux installations.
 The ntop packages shipped with SuSE Linux did not exhibit the
 unsafe behaviour when a file like /../../etc/passwd is referenced.
 However, Thomas Biege has reviewed the source of the package and
 there are still some potential problems with the package that
 require a major overhaul of the code.
 Currently, we recommend to disable or even remove the ntop package
 (`rpm -e ntop') in an environment where security considerations
 play a role. More information on ntop can be found in
 ntop's documentation directory /usr/doc/packages/ntop or
 /usr/share/doc/packages/ntop for SuSE-7.0.

 - zope

 SuSE distributions before 7.0 do not contain zope as a package.
 An updated package for the freshly released SuSE-7.0 is on the way.

 - xchat

 A fix for the URL handler vulnerabilty is in progress and will
 be released within a few days. There is currently no effective
 and easy workaround other than removing the package by hand
 (`rpm -e xchat'). More information on xchat can be found in
 xchat's documentation directory /usr/doc/packages/xchat or
 /usr/share/doc/packages/xchat for SuSE-7.0.

 - minicom

 SuSE's minicom doesn't exhibit the problem with files created
 belonging to group uucp because /usr/bin/minicom isn't installed
 sgid uucp by default. Changing this to 2755 root.uucp (manually
 and in /etc/permissions) doesn't show any defective behaviour
 either.

 - xlockmore: After a review of the relevant part of xlock's code
 we've found that the format string parsing bug posted by
 bind@SUBTERRAIN.NET on bugtraq on August 15th 2000 is not
 critical wrt security. xlock drops all privs as soon as it could
 get hold of the user's encrypted password (which is before it
 crashes). Other encrypted passwords can't be found in xlock's
 memory. Since xlock on SuSE distributions runs sgid shadow, it
 can't dump a core file upon segmentation fault (search
 /usr/src/linux/kernel/sys.c for "dumpable".) and also can't be
 traced (/usr/src/linux/arch/i386/kernel/ptrace.c).
 The bug will be fixed in future releases of the SuSE Linux
 distribution.

 The following packages are not contained in SuSE distributions.
 Therefore, they do not impose any security risks on SuSE systems
 unless an administrator installed (compiled) the vulnerable
 software by hand.

 - FlagShip permissions, from Narrow <nss@privacyx.com> on bugtraq dated
 10 Aug 2000
 - VariCAD permissions with Red Hat 6.0, from Narrow <nss@privacyx.com>
 on bugtraq dated 10 Aug 2000
 - usermode, from Conectiva on bugtraq, dated 2000-08-10
 - gopherd 2.x, from Mike Schiffman <michael.schiffman@guardent.com>
 (guardent) on bugtraq, dated 10 Aug 2000, + Chris Sharp
 <v9@FAKEHALO.ORG> on bugtraq dated 20 Aug 2000.
 - diskcheck perl script, Conectiva sec. adv. on bugtraq dated
 2000-08-10
 - Statistics Server 5.02x, overflow, from |Zan <izan@DEEPZONE.ORG> on
 bugtraq, dated 10 Aug 2000
 - Helix GNOME Updater (helix-update), versions 0.1 through 0.5, from
 HELIX CODE, INC., on bugtraq, dated 20 Aug 2000
 - Darxite overflows, from Guido Bakker <guidob@MAINNET.NL> on bugtraq,
 dated 21 Aug 2000
 - Gnome-Lokkit ports left exposed, from Alan Cox
 <alan@LXORGUK.UKUU.ORG.UK> on bugtraq dated 19 Aug 2000

______________________________________________________________________________

3) standard appendix:

 SuSE runs two security mailing lists to which any interested party may
 subscribe:

 suse-security@suse.com
 - general/linux/SuSE security discussion.
 All SuSE security announcements are sent to this list.
 To subscribe, send an email to
 <suse-security-subscribe@suse.com>.

 suse-security-announce@suse.com
 - SuSE's announce-only mailing list.
 Only SuSE's security annoucements are sent to this list.
 To subscribe, send an email to
 <suse-security-announce-subscribe@suse.com>.

 For general information or the frequently asked questions (faq)
 send mail to:
 <suse-security-info@suse.com> or
 <suse-security-faq@suse.com> respectively.

 ============================================== SuSE's security contact is <security@suse.com>.
 ==============================================
Regards,
Roman Drahtmüller.
- - --
 - -
| Roman Drahtmüller <draht@suse.de> // "Caution: Cape does |
 SuSE GmbH - Security Phone: // not enable user to fly."
| Nürnberg, Germany +49-911-740530 // (Batman Costume warning label) |
 - -
______________________________________________________________________________

 The information in this advisory may be distributed or reproduced,
 provided that the advisory is not modified in any way.
 SuSE GmbH makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever with respect
 to the information contained in this security advisory.

Type Bits/KeyID Date User ID
pub 2048/3D25D3D9 1999/03/06 SuSE Security Team <security@suse.de>

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