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-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 =========================================================================== AUSCERT External Security Bulletin Redistribution ESB-2009.0265 -- [Win][RedHat][OSX] Symantec pcAnywhere Format String Denial of Service 23 March 2009 =========================================================================== AusCERT Security Bulletin Summary --------------------------------- Product: Symantec pcAnywhere Publisher: Symantec Operating System: Windows Mac OS X Red Hat Linux Impact: Denial of Service Access: Existing Account CVE Names: CVE-2009-0538 Original Bulletin: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/security/Content/2009.03.17.html - --------------------------BEGIN INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- SYM09-003 March 17, 2009 Symantec pcAnywhere Format String Denial of Service Revision History None Severity Medium Remote Access No Local Access Yes Authentication Required No Exploit publicly available No Overview Symantec pcAnywhere is susceptible to a format string vulnerability. An authorized local user may potentially leverage this to crash the pcAnywhere application, leading to a denial of service. Affected Product(s) Product Version Build Solution Symantec pcAnywhere 12.0, 12.1, 12.5 All Upgrade to 12.5 SP1 Note: Only the versions listed above are supported. Customers running non-supported versions should upgrade to the above mentioned non-vulnerable version. Details Layered Defense informed Symantec of a format string vulnerability in Symantec pcAnywhere. This issue can be exploited by a malicious user to crash the application causing a denial of service. Successful exploitation requires local machine access. Symantec Response Symantec engineers verified this issue exists on those supported products identified above. Product updates are available for supported affected products. Symantec is not aware of any customers impacted by this issue, or of any attempts to exploit it. Information on downloading and applying the upgrade is available from the following locations: For Enterprise, Small & Mid-Sized Business (SMB) - Download the update from your normal support location http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/on-technology.nsf/docid/2009030207022460?Open&seg=ent or, use the LiveUpdate option, if authorized, to install this update Home and Home Office - pcAnywhere users who regularly run LiveUpdate should automatically receive an updated (non-vulnerable) version. To ensure all available updates have been applied, users can run a manual LiveUpdate as follows: * Open the Symantec pcAnywhere application * Click LiveUpdate * Run LiveUpdate until all available product updates are downloaded and installed * A system reboot may be required before the update takes affect Best Practices As part of normal best practices, Symantec strongly recommends: * Restrict access to administration or management systems to privileged users. * Restrict remote access, if required, to trusted/authorized systems only. * Run under the principle of least privilege where possible to limit the impact of exploit by threats. * Keep all operating systems and applications updated with the latest vendor patches. * Follow a multi-layered approach to security. Run both firewall and anti-malware applications, at a minimum, to provide multiple points of detection and protection to both inbound and outbound threats. * Deploy network and host-based intrusion detection systems to monitor network traffic for signs of anomalous or suspicious activity. This may aid in detection of attacks or malicious activity related to exploitation of latent vulnerabilities References SecurityFocus, http://www.securityfocus.com, has assigned BID 33845 to this issue. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), http://cve.mitre.org/, initiative has assigned CVE Candidate number CVE-2009-0538 to this issue. Credit Symantec would like to thank Deral Heiland with Layered Defense for reporting this issue and coordinating with us while Symantec resolved it. Symantec takes the security and proper functionality of its products very seriously. As founding members of the Organization for Internet Safety (OISafety), Symantec follows the principles of responsible disclosure. Symantec also subscribes to the vulnerability guidelines outlined by the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC). Please contact secure@symantec.com if you feel you have discovered a potential or actual security issue with a Symantec product. A Symantec Product Security team member will contact you regarding your submission. Symantec has developed a Product Vulnerability Handling Process document outlining the process we follow in addressing suspected vulnerabilities in our products. We support responsible disclosure of all vulnerability information in a timely manner to protect Symantec customers and the security of the Internet as a result of vulnerability. This document is available from the location provided below. Symantec strongly recommends using encrypted email for reporting vulnerability information to secure@symantec.com. The Symantec Product Security PGP key can be obtained from the location provided below. Symantec-Product-Vulnerability-Response Symantec Vulnerability Response Policy Symantec Product Vulnerability Management PGP Key Symantec Product Vulnerability Management PGP Key Copyright (c) 2009 by Symantec Corp. Permission to redistribute this alert electronically is granted as long as it is not edited in any way unless authorized by Symantec Security Response. Reprinting the whole or part of this alert in any medium other than electronically requires permission from secure@symantec.com. Disclaimer The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect, or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on, this information. Symantec, Symantec products, Symantec Security Response, and secure@symantec.com are registered trademarks of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies in the United States and other countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks represented in this document are the sole property of their respective companies/owners. Last modified on: Monday, 16-Mar-09 21:08:33 - --------------------------END INCLUDED TEXT-------------------- You have received this e-mail bulletin as a result of your organisation's registration with AusCERT. The mailing list you are subscribed to is maintained within your organisation, so if you do not wish to continue receiving these bulletins you should contact your local IT manager. If you do not know who that is, please send an email to auscert@auscert.org.au and we will forward your request to the appropriate person. NOTE: Third Party Rights 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 follow or act on information or advice contained in this security bulletin is the responsibility of each user or organisation, and should be considered in accordance with your organisation's site policies and procedures. AusCERT takes no responsibility for consequences which may arise from following or acting on information or advice contained in this security bulletin. NOTE: This is only the original release of the security bulletin. It may not be updated when updates to the original are made. If downloading at a later date, it is recommended that the bulletin is retrieved directly from the author's website 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/render.html?cid=1980 If you believe that your computer system has been compromised or attacked in any way, we encourage you to let us know by completing the secure National IT Incident Reporting Form at: http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=3192 =========================================================================== Australian Computer Emergency Response Team The University of Queensland Brisbane Qld 4072 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 member emergencies only. =========================================================================== -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Comment: http://www.auscert.org.au/render.html?it=1967 iD8DBQFJxyPXNVH5XJJInbgRAk5WAJ46W7Lsdhdi2zdQRhb6TboVr52JDACfS5Y5 fDONl5zOj6GU4xRpSGafDWc= =Z8Il -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----