-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

===========================================================================
             AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution

                      ESB-2001.271 -- HPSBUX0107-157
               Security Vulnerability in CIFS/9000 Server #2
                                4 July 2001

===========================================================================

        AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary
        ---------------------------------

Product:                CIFS/9000 Server (Samba) version A.01.07 or lower
                        Samba/iX
Vendor:                 Hewlett-Packard
Operating System:       HP-UX
Platform:               HP 9000
                        HP 3000
Impact:                 Modify Arbitrary Files
Access Required:        Remote

- --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT--------------------

Document ID:  HPSBUX0107-157
Date Loaded:  20010702
      Title:  Security Vulnerability in CIFS/9000 Server #2

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY SECURITY ADVISORY: #0157, 3 July '01
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

The information in the following Security Advisory should be acted upon
as soon as possible.  Hewlett-Packard Company will not be liable for any
consequences to any customer resulting from customer's failure to fully
implement instructions in this Security Advisory as soon as possible.

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------

PROBLEM:  CIFS/9000 Server (Samba) - use of certain configuration
          options may compromise system security.

PLATFORM: HP 9000 servers running CIFS/9000 Server version A.01.07 or
          lower; HP 3000 servers running Samba/iX

DAMAGE:   Data may be appended to arbitrary files and devices

SOLUTION: Remove offending configuration options to avoid vulnerability

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Background

   The NetBIOS name of remote clients is substituted into the "%m"  macro
   wherever it occurs in the configuration file smb.conf.  The use of
   contrived NetBIOS names may result in Samba using a file path
   outside of the intended Samba directories.  This can be used to cause
   Samba to append data to important system files, which in turn can be
   used to compromise security on the server.

B. Fixing the problem

   An immediate fix is to edit your smb.conf configuration file and
   remove all occurances of the macro "%m".  Depending on the
   requirements of each site, other smb.conf macros may be suitable
   replacements.

C. Workarounds

   The "log file" option is the most vulnerable to this redefinition
   problem.  The sample configuration file supplied with CIFS/9000
   Server contains the path "/var/opt/samba/log.%m" for this option.
   Using this default path does NOT create a vulnerability unless
   there happens to exist a subdirectory in /var/opt/samba which
   starts with the prefix "log.".

   Sites that chooose to maintain the use of the "%m" macro in the
   "log file" option should use the default value:
      /var/opt/samba/log.%m

D. To subscribe to automatically receive future NEW HP Security
   Bulletins from the HP IT Resource Center via electronic mail,
   do the following:

   Use your browser to get to the HP IT Resource Center page at:

       http://itrc.hp.com

   Under the Maintenance and Support Menu:
   click on the "more..." link.  Then -

   Use the 'Login' tab at the left side of the screen to login
   using your ID and password.  Check with your system
   administrator to see if you have an existing login or use
   the "Register" button at the left to create a login.  You
   will need to login in order to gain access to many areas of
   the ITRC. Remember to save the User ID assigned to you, and
   your password.

   Under the "Notifications" section (near the bottom of
   the page), select "Support Information Digests".

   To -subscribe- to future HP Security Bulletins or other
   Technical Digests, click the check box (in the left column)
   for the appropriate digest and then click the "Update
   Subscriptions" button at the bottom of the page.

   or

   To -review- bulletins already released, select the link
   (in the middle column) for the appropriate digest.

   To -gain access- to the Security Patch Matrix, select
   the link for "The Security Bulletins Archive".  (near the
   bottom of the page)  Once in the archive the third link is
   to the current Security Patch Matrix. Updated daily, this
   matrix categorizes security patches by platform/OS release,
   and by bulletin topic.  Security Patch Check completely
   automates the process of reviewing the patch matrix for
   11.XX systems.

    For information on the Security Patch Check tool, see:
   http://www.software.hp.com/cgi-bin/swdepot_parser.cgi/cgi/
         displayProductInfo.pl?productNumber3DB6834AA"

   The security patch matrix is also available via anonymous ftp:

   ftp.itrc.hp.com:~ftp/export/patches/hp-ux_patch_matrix

   On the "Support Information Digest Main" page:
   click on the "HP Security Bulletin Archive".

E. To report new security vulnerabilities, send email to

   security-alert@hp.com

   Please encrypt any exploit information using the security-alert
   PGP key, available from your local key server, or by sending a
   message with a -subject- (not body) of 'get key' (no quotes) to
   security-alert@hp.com.

   Permission is granted for copying and circulating this Advisory
   to Hewlett-Packard (HP) customers (or the Internet community) for
   the purpose of alerting them to problems, if and only if, the
   Advisory is not edited or changed in any way, is attributed to
   HP, and provided such reproduction and/or distribution is
   performed for non-commercial purposes.

   Any other use of this information is prohibited. HP is not liable
   for any misuse of this information by any third party.
________________________________________________________________________
- -----End of Document ID:  HPSBUX0107-157--------------------------------------

- --------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT--------------------

You have received this e-mail bulletin as a result of your organisation's
registration with AusCERT. The mailing list you are subscribed to is
maintained within your organisation, so if you do not wish to continue
receiving these bulletins you should contact your local IT manager. If
you do not know who that is, please send an email to auscert@auscert.org.au
and we will forward your request to the appropriate person.

This security bulletin is provided as a service to AusCERT's members.  As
AusCERT did not write the document quoted above, AusCERT has had no control
over its content.  The decision to use any or all of this information is
the responsibility of each user or organisation, and should be done so in
accordance with site policies and procedures.

NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin.  It may
not be updated when updates to the original are made.  If downloading at
a later date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved directly
from the original authors to ensure that the information is still current.

Contact information for the authors of the original document is included
in the Security Bulletin above.  If you have any questions or need further
information, please contact them directly.

Previous advisories and external security bulletins can be retrieved from:

	http://www.auscert.org.au/Information/advisories.html

If you believe that your system has been compromised, contact AusCERT or
your representative in FIRST (Forum of Incident Response and Security
Teams).

Internet Email: auscert@auscert.org.au
Facsimile:	(07) 3365 7031
Telephone:	(07) 3365 4417 (International: +61 7 3365 4417)
		AusCERT personnel answer during Queensland business hours
		which are GMT+10:00 (AEST).
		On call after hours for emergencies.

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: 2.6.3i
Charset: noconv
Comment: ftp://ftp.auscert.org.au/pub/auscert/AUSCERT_PGP.key

iQCVAwUBO0LjHCh9+71yA2DNAQG1DQQAnF5i7kruaP5qd0dkiZqAjK9Wvu8l4Ngy
lFVbG0CFLZQ5GrWXqqq4ShpXMmLJlHL3dSH5rASq/KBpgb44KQsj1aPxOb14fYAl
OY5+Fb2i2aH7hWjYDdnoPEaAhlI5xNZqSR1WcZcjEhJW10p796kFV1qeIqipvYnL
DxVC4uttcnw=
=dmXN
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----