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              AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution
                             
             ESB-2000.006 -- HP SECURITY BULLETIN HPSBUX0001-109
               Security Vulnerability with Audio Security File
                               07 January 2000

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Hewlett-Packard has released the following bulletin concerning a
vulnerability in the Audio Security File creation. This file is created
world writable on HP9000 Series 7/800 running HP-UX releases 10.X and
11.X.

This vulnerability may allow a Denial of Service and an increase in
privileges to ordinary users.


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Document ID:  HPSBUX0001-109
Date Loaded:  20000105
      Title:  Security Vulnerability with Audio Security File

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
    HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY SECURITY ADVISORY: #00109, 06 Jan 2000
- -------------------------------------------------------------------------

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 Audio Security File is world writable.

PLATFORM: HP9000 Series 7/800 running HP-UX releases 10.X and 11.X

DAMAGE:   Denial of service, increase in capabilities.

SOLUTION: Change the Audio Security File permissions.

AVAILABILITY:  This advisory will be updated when patches are available.

- -------------------------------------------------------------------------
I.
   A. Background
      The Audio Security File, /etc/opt/audio/audio.sec, is created by
      the asecure program with 666 permissions.  This allows root to
      add any user as a privileged user via the asecure program.  Those
      privileged users can make changes to their audio security File
      via asecure.  Since asecure has 555 permissions,
      /etc/opt/audio/audio.sec must be world writable to implement the
      privileged user feature.


   B. Recommended solution
      The capability to designate privileged users will probably be
      removed in a future patch.  The asecure program would continue
      to have 555 permissions and would create the Audio Security File
      with 444 permissions.  Only the root user would be able to make
      changes to the Audio Security File.

      Until patches are available recommended solution is, as root:

          chmod 444 /etc/opt/audio/audio.sec

      This must be done each time the /etc/opt/audio/audio.sec
      is created via the "asecure -C" command.  After the permission
      is changed, only the root user will be able to modify
      /etc/opt/audio/audio.sec.


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

      Under the Maintenance and Support Menu (Electronic Support Center):
        click on the "more..." link.  Then -

      To -subscribe- to future HP Security Bulletins, or
      To -review- bulletins already released
        click on "Support Information Digests" near the bottom of the
        page, under "Notifications".

      Login with your user ID and password (or register for one).
      (Remember to save the User ID assigned to you, and your password).

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

      Once in the archive the third link is to our current Security
      Patch Matrix.  Updated daily, this matrix categorizes security
      patches by platform/OS release, and by bulletin topic.

      The security patch matrix is also available via anonymous ftp:

      us-ffs.external.hp.com
      ~ftp/export/patches/hp-ux_patch_matrix



    D. 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:  HPSBUX0001-109--------------------------------------

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