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	      AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution
                                    
                                    
        ESB-98.123 -- HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY BULLETIN: HPSBUX9807-080
                Security Advisory with Netscape servers on HP-UX
                                      
                               03 August 1998

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Hewlett-Packard has released the following advisory concerning a
vulnerability in RSA Data Security encryption algorithms with Netscape
server products that support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).  The nature of
the vulnerability is that a single encrypted SSL network conversation
could be recorded and subsequently decrypted.

The following security bulletin is provided as a service to AusCERT's
members.  As AusCERT did not write this document, AusCERT has had
no control over its content.  As such, 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 will not be updated when the original bulletin is.  If downloading
at a later date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved
from the original authors to ensure that the information is still
current.

If you have any questions or need further information, please
contact Hewllett-Packard 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.


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Document ID:  HPSBUX9807-080
Date Loaded:  19980728
      Title:  Security Advisory with Netscape servers on HP-UX

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
         HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY ADVISORY: #00080, 29 July 1998
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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:   The Million Question vulnerability affects the use of RSA
           Data Security encryption algorithms with Netscape server
           products that support Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).  The nature
           of the vulnerability is that a single encrypted SSL network
           conversation could be recorded and subsequently decrypted.

PLATFORM:  HP9000 Series 7/800 running HP-UX releases 10.X and 11.00

DAMAGE:    A cryptanalytic vulnerability could potentially be used to
           discover the key for a particular encrypted session through
           a process of repeatedly sending approximately one million
           carefully constructed messages to a target server and
           observing the server's response.

SOLUTION:  Patches for can be downloaded from Netscape directly.
           See below for the URL.

AVAILABILITY:  All patches for 3.X servers are available now.  Older
           versions will be available soon.  For updated information
           on availability please check:

     http://help.netscape.com/products/server/ssldiscovery/index.html
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
I.
  A. Background

     According to RSA Data Security, Inc.,  this potential attack
     against secure Web communications is currently the subject of
     research and has not been reported by any users.

     CERT has made a technical advisory on this vulnerability available
     at  http://www.cert.org/


  B. Fixing the problem

     The following servers and products are affected.

     Servers impacted:
      FastTrack, Enterprise and Proxy.
       Patches are available for those three Servers.

     Messaging and Collabora.
      Product replacements are available for these two Servers.


  C. Recommended solution

     The URL is:
      http://help.netscape.com/products/server/ssldiscovery/index.html

     A README file is included with each package and has detailed
     instructions for installing the patch, for Enterprise and Proxy
     Server customer.  Please ensure you download the correct version.
     There is an international version (for customer outside US) as
     well as a domestic version (for customer within US and Canada).

     Netscape believes deployments with higher vulnerability are:

     FastTrack/Enterprise Server applications using SSL to protect
     communication of sensitive data over the Internet, Proxy servers
     in secure reverse proxy mode protecting sensitive communications,
     Messaging and Collabra Servers run exclusively in SSL mode over
     an unprotected network.

     HP recommends that products deployed in the above situations be
     updated as soon as is practical.


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

     Use your browser to get to the HP Electronic Support Center page
     at:

       http://us-support.external.hp.com
              (for US, Canada, Asia-Pacific, & Latin-America)
       http://europe-support.external.hp.com     (for Europe)

     Login with your user ID and password (or register for one).
     Remember to save the User ID assigned to you, and your password.
     Once you are in the Main Menu:
      To -subscribe- to future HP Security Bulletins,
       click on "Support Information Digests".
      To -review- bulletins already released from the main Menu,
       click on the "Technical Knowledge Database (Security Bulletins
       only)".
     Near the bottom of the next page, click on "Browse the HP Security
     Bulletin Archive".
     Once in the archive there is another link to our current Security
     Patch Matrix.  Updated daily, this matrix is categorizes security
     patches by platform/OS release, and by bulletin topic.


  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.

     Netscape, Messaging, Collabora, FastTrack/Enterprise Server and
     Netscape Server are trademarks of Netscape Communications Corp.

     Permission is granted for copying and circulating this Bulletin to
     Hewlett-Packard (HP) customers (or the Internet community) for the
     purpose of alerting them to problems, if and only if, the Bulletin
     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.
______________________________________________________________________
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