From: NSI Short-Timer (2/24/93) To: ciac-team@cheetah.llnl.GOV Mail*Link¨ SMTP NSI Security Bulletin #93-0 ============================================================================= NASA SCIENCE INTERNET - SECURITY BULLETIN NUMBER: 93-01 February 23, 1993 SUBJECT: Potential Security Vulnerability in OpenVMS ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA/NSI DISTRIBUTION: Official Use Only FIRST Restrictions: NONE ============================================================================= The NSI Security Office received the following advisory from Digital Equipment Corporation's Software Security Response Team (SSRT). A vulnerability exists in VAX/VMS V5.0 through OpenVMS V5.5-2 and OpenVMS AXP V1.0. There have been some incidents of malicious code being used to exploit this vulnerability. NSI sites that cannot obtain the remedial kits described below should contact the NSI Security Office using the information provided at the end of this bulletin. The following is the DEC bulletin: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23.FEB.1993 SOURCE: Digital Equipment Corporation AUTHOR: Software Security Response Team Colorado Springs USA PRODUCT: VMS V5.0 through OpenVMS V5.5-2 & OpenVMS AXP V1.0 PROBLEM: Potential Security Vulnerability - OpenVMS SOLUTION: A remedial kit is now available for OpenVMS AXP V1.0, VMS V5.0 through OpenVMS Version 5.5-2 (including all SEVMS versions V5.1 through V5.5-2 as applicable) by contacting your normal Digital Services Support organization. SEVERITY LEVEL: High This potential vulnerability has been corrected in the next release of OpenVMS, V6.0 and OpenVMS AXP, V1.5 For VMS Versions prior to V5.0, Digital strongly recommends that you upgrade to a minimum of VMS V5.0 and further, to the latest release of OpenVMS V5.5-2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- The remedial kits may be identified as: VAXSYS01_U2050 VMS V5.0, V5.0-1, V5.0-2 VAXSYS01_U1051 VMS V5.1 VAXSYS01_U1052 VMS V5.2 VAXSYS01_U2053 VMS V5.3 thru V5.3-2 VAXSYS01_U3054 VMS V5.4 thru V5.4-3 VAXSYS02_U2055 OpenVMS V5.5 thru V5.5-2 AXPSYS01_010 OpenVMS AXP V1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright (c) Digital Equipment Corporation, 1993 All Rights Reserved. Published Rights Reserved Under The Copyright Laws Of The United States. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ADVISORY INFORMATION: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- This update kit corrects a potential security vulnerability in the VMS, OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS AXP operating systems. This potential vulnerability may be further exploited in the form of a malicious program that may allow authorized but unprivileged users to obtain all system privileges, potentially giving the unprivileged user control of your OpenVMS system and data. NOTE: The update kit must be applied if an update or installation is performed for all versions prior to OpenVMS V6.0 or OpenVMS AXP V1.5. For VMS Versions prior to VMS V5.0, Digital strongly recommends that you upgrade to a minimum of VMS V5.0 and further to the latest release of OpenVMS V5.5-2. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- INFORMATION: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Digital strongly recommends that you install the available kit on your system(s), to avoid any potential vulnerability as a result of this problem. Customers with a Digital Services contract may obtain a kit for the affected versions of OpenVMS by contacting your normal support organizations. - In the U.S. Customers may contact the Customer Support Center at 1(800)354-9000 and request the appropriate kit for your version of OpenVMS, or through DSNlink Text Search database using the keyword text "Potential Security Vulnerability", or DSNlink VTX using the patch number 1084 - Customers in other geographies should contact their normal Digital Services support organizations. As always, Digital recommends you to regularly review your system management and security procedures. Digital will continue to review and enhance security features, and work with our customers to further improve the integrity of their systems. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- [End of DEC Advisory] Ron Tencati Security Manager NASA Science Internet If you believe your system may have been compromised, be sure to contact your system administrator or your local Computer Security Official first. If you require any assistance with information contained in this bulletin, or if you believe you have discovered an unreported vulnerability relating to VMS, UNIX, DECnet or TCP/IP, contact your NSI Routing Center Manager or the NSI Security Office at: Phone: +1-202-434-4541 TCP/IP: Security@Nsipo.Arc.Nasa.Gov FAX: +1-202-434-4599 X.25: 31103210703593::Security Beeper: +1-800-SKY-PAGE DECnet: NSINIC::Security (24Hrs) (Pin# 5460866) NSI wishes to thank Digital Equipment Corporation's Software Security Response Team (SSRT) for their timely reporting of this vulnerability to the user community via the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST). ------------------ RFC822 Header Follows ------------------ Received: by internetqm.llnl.gov with SMTP;24 Feb 1993 10:14:20 U Return-path: TENCATI@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.GOV Received: from icdc.llnl.gov by icdc.llnl.gov (PMDF #3384 ) id <01GV3GWI16JK9BVFER@icdc.llnl.gov>; Wed, 24 Feb 1993 10:05:25 PST Received: from pierce.llnl.gov by icdc.llnl.gov (PMDF #3384 ) id <01GV3GVAN12O9BVFQ8@icdc.llnl.gov>; Wed, 24 Feb 1993 10:04:32 PST Received: by pierce.llnl.gov (4.1/LLNL-1.18/llnl.gov-05.92) id AA26254; Wed, 24 Feb 93 10:04:59 PST Received: from nixon.llnl.gov by pierce.llnl.gov (4.1/LLNL-1.18/llnl.gov-05.92) id AA26234; Wed, 24 Feb 93 10:04:51 PST Received: by nixon.llnl.gov (5.57/1.15) id AA25427; Wed, 24 Feb 93 10:05:09 -0800 Received: from NSSDCA.GSFC.NASA.GOV by (4.1/SMI-4.1) id AA05421; Wed, 24 Feb 93 10:03:53 PST Date: 24 Feb 1993 12:56:00 -0500 (EST) From: TENCATI@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.GOV (NSI Short-Timer) Subject: NSI Security Bulletin #93-01: OpenVMS Security Vulnerabilty Resent-to: BILL_ORVIS@QUICKMAIL.llnl.GOV To: ciac-team@cheetah.llnl.GOV Resent-message-id: <01GV3GWI4NXE9BVFER@icdc.llnl.gov> Message-id: <930224125600.20c0092d@NSSDCA.GSFC.NASA.GOV> X-Envelope-to: BILL_ORVIS@QUICKMAIL.llnl.gov X-VMS-To: IN%"ciac-team@cheetah.llnl.GOV" Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT X-Vmsmail-To: SMTP%"ciac-team@cheetah.llnl.gov" ======================================================================