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ESB-2002.517 -- Cisco Security Advisory -- Cisco VPN 5000 Client Multiple Vulnerabilities

Date: 19 September 2002

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Click here for PGP verifiable version
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===========================================================================
             AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution

                  ESB-2002.517 -- Cisco Security Advisory
              Cisco VPN 5000 Client Multiple Vulnerabilities
                             19 September 2002

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

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

Product:                MAC OS VPN 5000 Client releases earlier than 5.2.2
                        Linux VPN 5000 Client releases earlier than 5.2.7
                        Solaris VPN 5000 Client releases earlier than 5.2.8
Vendor:                 Cisco Systems
Operating System:       Mac OS
                        Linux
                        Solaris
Impact:                 Access Privileged Data
                        Root Compromise
Access Required:        Existing Account

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

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    Cisco Security Advisory: Cisco VPN 5000 Client Multiple Vulnerabilities

Revision 1.0

  For Public Release 2002 September 18 08:00 (UTC -0800)

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

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

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

Summary

   Multiple vulnerabilities exist in the Cisco Virtual Private Network (VPN)
   5000 Client software. These vulnerabilities are documented as Cisco bug ID
   CSCdx17109 and CSCdy20065. There are some workarounds available to
   mitigate the effects of these vulnerabilities.

   This advisory will be posted at
   http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/vpn5k-client-multiple-vuln-pub.shtml.

Affected Products

   +-------------------------------------------------+
   |    DDTS - Description    |  Affected Releases   |
   |--------------------------+----------------------|
   | CSCdx17109 - MAC OS VPN  | MAC OS VPN 5000      |
   | 5000 Client password     | Client releases      |
   | vulnerability            | earlier than 5.2.2   |
   |--------------------------+----------------------|
   | CSCdy20065 - Linux and   |   * Linux VPN 5000   |
   | Solaris VPN 5000 Client  |     Client releases  |
   | buffer overflow          |     earlier than     |
   | vulnerability            |     5.2.7            |
   |                          |   * Solaris VPN 5000 |
   |                          |     Client releases  |
   |                          |     earlier than     |
   |                          |     5.2.8            |
   +-------------------------------------------------+

   The Cisco VPN 3000 client and the Cisco VPN client are not affected.

   No other Cisco products are currently known to be affected by these
   vulnerabilities.

Details

   The VPN Client software program on a remote workstation, communicating
   with a Cisco VPN device on an enterprise network or with a service
   provider, creates a secure connection over the Internet. Through this
   connection you can access a private network as if you were an onsite user.

   +-------------------------------------------------+
   | DDTS - Description  |          Details          |
   |---------------------+---------------------------|
   | CSCdx17109 - MAC OS | When saving the "Default  |
   | VPN 5000 Client     | Connection" in the        |
   | password            | resource fork of the      |
   | vulnerability       | preferences file, the     |
   |                     | client saves the entire   |
   |                     | contents of the data      |
   |                     | structure that represents |
   |                     | the "Default Connection"  |
   |                     | which includes the most   |
   |                     | recently used login       |
   |                     | password.                 |
   |                     |                           |
   |                     | This password can be read |
   |                     | in plain text using the   |
   |                     | ResEdit tool. This occurs |
   |                     | regardless of whether     |
   |                     | "SaveSecrets" is enabled  |
   |                     | or disabled, and          |
   |                     | regardless of whether you |
   |                     | encrypt passwords or not. |
   |---------------------+---------------------------|
   | CSCdy20065 - Linux  | Two buffer overflow       |
   | and Solaris VPN     | issues exist in the VPN   |
   | 5000 Client buffer  | 5000 Client for Linux and |
   | overflow            | Solaris. One in the       |
   | vulnerability       | close_tunnel binary and   |
   |                     | one in the open_tunnel    |
   |                     | binary. To exploit the    |
   |                     | vulnerability one has to  |
   |                     | be logged in on the       |
   |                     | workstation. The buffer   |
   |                     | overflows could be        |
   |                     | locally exploited to gain |
   |                     | root privileges on the    |
   |                     | workstation.              |
   +-------------------------------------------------+

   These vulnerabilities are documented in the Cisco Bug Toolkit as Bug IDs
   CSCdx17109 and CSCdy20065, and can be viewed after September 19, 2002 at
   1500 UTC. To access this tool, you must be a registered user and you must
   be logged in.

Impact

   +-------------------------------------------------+
   |   DDTS - Description   |         Impact         |
   |------------------------+------------------------|
   | CSCdx17109 - MAC OS    | Unintended exposure of |
   | VPN 5000 Client        | password               |
   | password vulnerability |                        |
   |------------------------+------------------------|
   | CSCdy20065 - Linux and | This vulnerability     |
   | Solaris VPN 5000       | could be locally       |
   | Client buffer overflow | exploited to elevate   |
   | vulnerability          | one's system           |
   |                        | privileges.            |
   +-------------------------------------------------+

Software Versions and Fixes

   +-------------------------------------------------+
   |    DDTS - Description     |   Fixed Releases    |
   |---------------------------+---------------------|
   | CSCdx17109 - MAC OS VPN   | MAC OS VPN 5000     |
   | 5000 Client password      | Client release      |
   | vulnerability             | 5.2.2 or later      |
   |---------------------------+---------------------|
   | CSCdy20065 - Linux and    |   * Linux VPN 5000  |
   | Solaris VPN 5000 Client   |     Client release  |
   | buffer overflow           |     5.2.7 or later  |
   | vulnerability             |   * Solaris VPN     |
   |                           |     5000 Client     |
   |                           |     release 5.2.8   |
   |                           |     or later        |
   +-------------------------------------------------+

   The procedure to upgrade to the fixed software version is detailed at
   http://www.cisco.com/univercd/cc/td/doc/product/aggr/vpn5000/client/.

Obtaining Fixed Software

   Cisco is offering free software upgrades to address these vulnerabilities
   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 the free software upgrade identified via this advisory.
   For most customers with service contracts, this means that upgrades should
   be obtained through the Software Center on Cisco's worldwide website at
   http://www.cisco.com/kobayashi/sw-center/vpn/5000/. To access the software
   download URL http://www.cisco.com/kobayashi/sw-center/vpn/5000/, you must be
   a registered user and you must be logged in.

   Customers whose Cisco products are provided or maintained through a 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 obtaining the free software
   upgrade(s).

   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) using the contact information listed below. In
   these cases, customers are entitled to obtain an upgrade to a later
   version of the same release or as indicated by the applicable corrected
   software version in the Software Versions and Fixes section (noted above).

   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: tac@cisco.com

   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
   advisory as evidence of your entitlement to a free upgrade.

   Please do not contact either "psirt@cisco.com" or
   "security-alert@cisco.com" for software upgrades.

Workarounds

   +-------------------------------------------------+
   | DDTS - Description  |  Workaround / Mitigation  |
   |                     |        Techniques         |
   |---------------------+---------------------------|
   | CSCdx17109 - MAC OS |   * An attempt to log in  |
   | VPN 5000 Client     |     using a wrong         |
   | password            |     password after one    |
   | vulnerability       |     has finished using    |
   |                     |     the connection causes |
   |                     |     the wrong password to |
   |                     |     be stored in the      |
   |                     |     resources fork.       |
   |                     |   * Turn the "Save        |
   |                     |     Secrets" option off   |
   |                     |     on the concentrator.  |
   |                     |     This will stop the    |
   |                     |     VPN 5000 Client from  |
   |                     |     saving the password.  |
   |---------------------+---------------------------|
   | CSCdy20065 - Linux  | There is no workaround.   |
   | and Solaris VPN     |                           |
   | 5000 Client buffer  |                           |
   | overflow            |                           |
   | vulnerability       |                           |
   +-------------------------------------------------+

   The Cisco PSIRT recommends that affected users upgrade to a fixed software
   version of code.

Exploitation and Public Announcements

   The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use
   of the vulnerabilities described in this advisory.

   Cisco Bug ID CSCdx17109 was reported to Cisco by a customer. Cisco Bug ID
   CSCdy20065 was reported to Cisco by Niels Heinen of Ubizen.

Status of This Advisory: FINAL

   This is a final advisory. Although Cisco cannot guarantee the accuracy of
   all statements in this advisory, all of the facts have been checked to the
   best of our ability. Cisco does not anticipate issuing updated versions of
   this advisory unless there is some material change in the facts. Should
   there be a significant change in the facts, Cisco may update this
   advisory.

   A stand-alone 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 advisory will be posted on Cisco's worldwide website at
   http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/vpn5k-client-multiple-vuln-pub.shtml.

   In addition to worldwide website posting, a text version of this advisory
   is clear-signed with the Cisco PSIRT PGP key having the fingerprint FEB1
   1B89 A64B 60BB 4770 D1CE 93D2 FF06 F236 759C and is posted to the
   following e-mail and Usenet news recipients:

     * cust-security-announce@cisco.com
     * bugtraq@securityfocus.com
     * full-disclosure@lists.netsys.com
     * first-teams@first.org (includes CERT/CC)
     * firewalls@lists.gnac.com
     * cisco-nsp@puck.nether.net
     * cisco@spot.colorado.edu
     * comp.dcom.sys.cisco
     * Various internal Cisco mailing lists

   Future updates of this advisory, if any, will be placed on Cisco's
   worldwide website, but may or may not be actively announced on mailing
   lists or newsgroups. Users concerned about this problem are encouraged to
   check the above URL for any updates.

Revision History

   +-------------------------------------------------+
   | Revision 1.0 | September 18, | Initial public   |
   |              | 2002          | release          |
   +-------------------------------------------------+

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
   website 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.

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

   This advisory is copyright 2002 by Cisco Systems, Inc. This advisory may
   be redistributed freely after the release date given at the top of the
   text, provided that redistributed copies are complete and unmodified,
   including all date and version information.

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

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Internet Email: auscert@auscert.org.au
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