Published:
12 August 1998
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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- =========================================================================== AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution ESB-98.132 -- HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY BULLETIN: HPSBUX9808-082 Security Vulnerability with Netscape on VVOS 13 August 1998 =========================================================================== 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 Netscape Enterprise Server Release 2.01 is embedded in the VirtualVault A.02.00 and A.03.00 releases. - ---------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT--------------------------- Document ID: HPSBUX9808-082 Date Loaded: 19980811 Title: Security Vulnerability with Netscape on VVOS - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- HEWLETT-PACKARD SECURITY BULLETIN: #00082 12 August 1998 - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information in the following Security Bulletin 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 Bulletin 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. The Netscape Enterprise Server Release 2.01 is embedded in the VirtualVault A.02.00 and A.03.00 releases. PLATFORM: HP9000 Series 7/800 running: HP-UX 10.24 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.02.00 (NES 2.01 embedded) HP-UX 10.24 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.03.00 (NES 2.01 embedded) DAMAGE: A cryptanalytic vulnerability could potentially be used to discover the key for a particular encrypted session through a process of repeatedly sending on the order of one million carefully constructed messages to a target server and observing the server's response. SOLUTION: Apply the appropriate VirtualVault Patch noted below. AVAILABILITY: All patches for the VirtualVault releases 2.0 and 3.0 are available now from HP. - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 (CA-98.07.PKCS) on this vulnerability available at http://www.cert.org/. B. Recommended solution This problem can be eliminated by installing the recommended patch. Hewlett-Packard recommends that the following patches be loaded as applicable: HP-UX 10.24 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.02.00 (US/Canada): PHSS_15993 HP-UX 10.24 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.02.00 (Export): PHSS_15994 HP-UX 10.24 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.03.00 (US/Canada): PHSS_15935 HP-UX 10.24 (VVOS) with VirtualVault A.03.00 (Export): PHSS_15936 Customers running the Export version of VirtualVault (B5410AA, B5410BA, B5412AA, B5412BA) may download the patch PHSS_15994 or PHSS_15936 from the Electronic Support Center or request a tape from their local Response Center. Customers running the US/Canada version of VirtualVault (B5409AA, B5409BA, B5411AA, B5411BA) who reside in the US or Canada can request a tape of patch PHSS_15993 or PHSS_15935 from their local Response Center. Customers running the US/Canada version of VirtualVault outside of the US and Canada will be shipped the patch directly. C. Impact of the patch Applying patches PHSS_15993, PHSS_15994, PHSS_15935 or PHSS_15936 eliminates the vulnerability in the Netscape Enterprise Server yet does not otherwise impact the system. 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. ________________________________________________________________________ - -----End of Document ID: HPSBUX9808-082-------------------------------------- - --------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- 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 will not be updated when updates to the original are made. 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. 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 iQCVAwUBNdgVRih9+71yA2DNAQEsYAP9Fi9e4t83wSNQNcJMQK7Tqq8Qi0pom1Qt 3EkMmWgUmwb5+Jajw5v/bvapIyZzkmMIlgeOtaoAY4+ym1Yo6piWeuGh8WmesXw5 hHqwIYOj9fBnrfB9qdUMp/rjKFnbLyOSZ8yyMRaVQBhEtmDmzG3DT76PpPG29Mnl Kc6xqmlDcdk= =iUGL -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----