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- CA-91:17 CERT Advisory
- September 26, 1991
- DECnet-Internet Gateway Vulnerability
-
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- The Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center (CERT/CC) has
- received information concerning a vulnerability in the configuration of
- the DECnet-Internet gateway software for Digital Equipment Corporation's
- (DEC) ULTRIX versions 4.0, 4.1, and 4.2 on all Digital architectures.
-
- Digital Equipment Corporation is aware of this problem and a resolution
- for this vulnerability will be included in a future release. Digital
- and the CERT/CC strongly recommend that sites exposed to this vulnerability
- immediately institute the workaround detailed in this advisory.
-
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- I. Description
-
- When installing the DECnet-Internet gateway software it is necessary to
- create a guest account on the ULTRIX gateway host. By default, this
- account has /bin/csh as its shell. By virtue of the guest account
- having a valid shell, the DECnet-Internet gateway software can be
- exploited to allow unauthorized root access.
-
- II. Impact
-
- Anyone using the DECnet-Internet gateway can gain unauthorized
- root privileges on the ULTRIX gateway host.
-
- III. Solution
-
- This section describes a workaround for this vulnerability.
-
- Disable the guest account by editing the /etc/passwd file and setting
- the shell field for the guest account to /bin/false. Also, ensure the
- guest account has the string "NoLogin" in the password field as detailed
- in the DECnet-Internet installation manual.
-
- Even if you have not installed or are not running the DECnet-
- Internet gateway software, Digital recommends that you implement the
- workaround solution stated above.
-
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
- The CERT/CC wishes to thank R. Scott Butler of the Du Pont Company for
- bringing this vulnerability to our attention and for his further
- assistance with the temporary workaround.
- - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- If you believe that your system has been compromised, contact CERT/CC via
- telephone or e-mail.
-
- Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center (CERT/CC)
- Software Engineering Institute
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890
-
- Internet E-mail: cert@cert.org
- Telephone: 412-268-7090 24-hour hotline:
- CERT/CC personnel answer 7:30a.m.-6:00p.m. EST/EDT,
- on call for emergencies during other hours.
-
- Past advisories and other computer security related information are available
- for anonymous ftp from the cert.org (192.88.209.5) system.
-
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