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              AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution

                             
                 ESB-97.136 -- Sun Security Bulletin #00157
                                   sysdef
                               29 October 1997

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

Sun Microsystems, Inc. has released the following advisory concerning a
vulnerability in the sysdef program.  This vulnerability may allow
unprivileged users to read kernel memory which may contain sensitive
information such as unencrypted passwords.  This can be leveraged to gain
root access.

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.

Contact information for Sun is included in the Security Bulletin below.
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 4477
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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________________________________________________________________________________
 		   Sun Microsystems, Inc. Security Bulletin
 		
Bulletin Number:	#00157
Date: 			October 28, 1997
Cross-Ref:		
Title:			sysdef
________________________________________________________________________________
Permission is granted for the redistribution of this Bulletin, so long as 
the Bulletin is not edited and is attributed to Sun Microsystems. Portions 
may also be excerpted for re-use in other security advisories so long as 
proper attribution is included.

Any other use of this information without the express written consent of 
Sun Microsystems is prohibited. Sun Microsystems expressly disclaims all 
liability for any misuse of this information by any third party.
________________________________________________________________________________

1.  Bulletins Topics

    Sun announces the release of patches for Solaris 2.5.1, 2.5, 2.4, 2.3,   
    (SunOS 5.5.1, 5.5, 5.4, 5.3) which relate to a vulnerability in sysdef.

    Sun strongly recommends that you install the patches listed in section 4 
    immediately on systems running SunOS 5.5.1, 5.5, 5.4, and 5.3.

2.  Who is Affected
	
    Vulnerable:  SunOS versions 5.5.1, 5.5.1_x86, 5.5, 5.5_x86,
                                5.4, 5.4_x86, 5.3
     		
    The vulnerability is fixed in Solaris 2.6.

3.  Understanding the Vulnerability

    The sysdef command displays the current system definition, listing hardware
    devices, pseudo devices, system devices, loadable modules, and values of 
    selected kernel tunable parameters. This vulnerability, if exploited, 
    allows unprivileged users to read kernel memory which may contain sensitive
    information such as unencrypted passwords. Attackers can subsequently use 
    the information to gain root access.
    
4.  List of Patches

    The vulnerability in sysdef is fixed by the following patches:

    OS version          Patch ID
    __________		________
    SunOS 5.5.1		105092-01		
    SunOS 5.5.1_x86	105093-01	
    SunOS 5.5		105101-01	
    SunOS 5.5_x86	105102-01	
    SunOS 5.4		105099-01	
    SunOS 5.4_x86	105100-01	
    SunOS 5.3		105205-01

5.  Checksum Table

    The checksum table below shows the BSD checksums (SunOS 5.x: /usr/ucb/sum),
    SVR4 checksums (SunOS 5.x: /usr/bin/sum), and the MD5 digital signatures 
    for the above-mentioned patches that are available from:
     
     	<URL:ftp://sunsolve1.sun.com/pub/patches/patches.html>
     	
    These checksums may not apply if you obtain patches from your answer
    centers. 

File Name	  BSD	      SVR4	   MD5
_______________   _________   __________   ________________________________
105092-01.tar.Z   18806 104   64648 207    CD282DB673136EE05FB63A59ADF04089
105093-01.tar.Z   29154 103   12815 206    521E2523DFCF6EB7476D40FAE17B4990
105101-01.tar.Z   10425 103   62933 205    E0F25757D958C4FF74B44471B6659532
105102-01.tar.Z   45898 102   45444 204    1E4953774F47C899EB25ACE8D0ED2B18
105099-01.tar.Z   64861 92    23604 183    E35540AC8BFCACED246F11A45E7BE55C
105100-01.tar.Z   61681 91    12641 182    F1C568E5D830D465B01B9892E19DDDAA
105205-01.tar.Z   65019 92    2573 183     951AB33FB3680E0F06C2182D34536725
_______________________________________________________________________________
Sun thanks Marko Laakso (University of Oulu, Finland) for his assistance in 
this matter.
_______________________________________________________________________________
APPENDICES

A.  Patches listed in this bulletin are available to all Sun customers via 
    World Wide Web at:
    
    	<URL:ftp://sunsolve1.sun.com/pub/patches/patches.html>
    	
    Customers with Sun support contracts can also obtain patches from local 
    Sun answer centers and SunSITEs worldwide.

B.  Sun security bulletins are available via World Wide Web at:

	<URL:http://sunsolve1.sun.com/sunsolve/secbulletins>
	
C.  Sun Security Coordination Team's PGP key is available via World Wide Web 
    at:

	<URL:http://sunsolve1.sun.com/sunsolve/secbulletins/SunSCkey.txt>
		    	    	    
D.  To report or inquire about a security problem with Sun software, contact 
    one or more of the following:
  
        - Your local Sun answer centers
        - Your representative computer security response team, such as CERT 
        - Sun Security Coordination Team. Send email to:
	 
     		security-alert@sun.com

E.  To receive information or subscribe to our CWS (Customer Warning System) 
    mailing list, send email to:
    
    		security-alert@sun.com
   
    with a subject line (not body) containing one of the following commands:

        Command         Information Returned/Action Taken
        _______         _________________________________

        help            An explanation of how to get information
        
        key             Sun Security Coordination Team's PGP key
	
        list            A list of current security topics

        query [topic]   The email is treated as an inquiry and is forwarded to 
                        the Security Coordination Team

        report [topic]  The email is treated as a security report and is
                        forwarded to the Security Coordinaton Team. Please 
                        encrypt sensitive mail using Sun Security Coordination
                        Team's PGP key

        send topic      A short status summary or bulletin. For example, to 
                        retrieve a Security Bulletin #00138, supply the 
                        following in the subject line (not body):
        		
                                send #138

        subscribe       Sender is added to our mailing list.  To subscribe, 
                        supply the following in the subject line (not body):

                            	subscribe cws your-email-address
			
                        Note that your-email-address should be substituted
                        by your email address.
			
        unsubscribe     Sender is removed from the CWS mailing list.
________________________________________________________________________________



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