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- ============================================================================
- INTER-NETWORK MEMORANDUM SPAN MANAGEMENT OFFICE
- =============================================================================
- 30-OCT-1989
-
- TO: ALL SPAN SYSTEM MANAGERS
-
- FROM: SPAN MANAGEMENT OFFICE
- GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER CODE 630.2
- GREENBELT, MD. 20771
- (301)286-7251
-
- SUBJ: SECURITY GUIDELINES TO BE FOLLOWED IN LATEST WORM ATTACK
-
- ----------
-
- A variant of the 16-Oct worm has been restarted on the DECnet internet.
- This worm is a slightly modified copy of the original worm that infected
- the networks last week. The method of attack is identical to the last
- except that this version calls itself OILZ_nnnn instead of NETW_nnnn.
-
- This variant of the worm changes the password of the account it
- penetrates unlike its predecessor which only changed passwords if it
- penetrated a privileged account.
-
- The effect of this modification is that if the DECNET account is breached
- (Userid DECNET, Password DECNET), changing of the password will disable
- future *INBOUND* network connections to the node, effectively removing it
- from the network. THIS IS THE PRIMARY WAY IN WHICH THE CURRENT WORM IS
- ACHIEVING SUCCESS.
-
- The previous precautions and guidelines issued by this office are still
- applicable and valid. The following 5 procedures should be implemented on
- all DECnet nodes to ensure that the worm cannot gain access to your node.
-
- ----------
-
- 1) The current worm has been modified to attack the default DECNET account
- first. It attempts to enter the default DECNET account with user=DECNET
- and password=DECNET. This is the default set up. IT MUST BE CHANGED.
- To change it, two things have to be done:
-
- $MCR AUTHORIZE
- UAF> mod DECNET /pass=<something> !anything BUT "DECNET"
- UAF> mod DECNET /flag=lockpwd/nobatch/prclm=0
- UAF> exit
-
- Then, to match default access control information in the executor (so
- MAIL and NML will still work):
-
- $MCR NCP
- NCP> set executor nonpriv pass <something> !NOTE this MUST match what
- you set in AUTHORIZE!
-
- The above changes will not effect operation of your system, but will
- prevent the worm from entering via your default DECNET account.
-
- 2) DISABLE THE TASK OBJECT
-
- The TASK Object MUST be removed from your DECnet database.
- There are two methods by which you can accomplish this:
-
- 1. In SYSTARTUP.COM/SYSTARTUP_V5.COM, after the call to
- @SYS$MANAGER:STARTNET, insert the following line:
-
- $ MCR NCP CLEAR OBJECT TASK ALL
-
- THIS COMMAND MUST BE EXECUTED *EACH TIME* THE NETWORK
- IS STARTED OR RESTARTED. DOING IT AT BOOT-TIME ALONE
- IS NOT SUFFICIENT.
-
- 2. Instead of option 1, the following commands can be issued
- ONCE from a privileged account to permanently change the
- information in the DECnet database for the TASK object:
-
- $ MCR NCP SET OBJECT TASK PASSWORD <type an INCORRECT password>
- $ MCR NCP DEF OBJECT TASK PASSWORD <type an INCORRECT password>
-
-
- If for some reason you MUST have a TASK object, please call the
- SPAN network office at (301)286-7251.
-
-
- 3a) Protect SYS$SYSTEM:RIGHTSLIST.DAT so that it is has no protection bits
- set for the WORLD category of users. This is how the attacking worm
- determines who your valid users are. There is some discussion about
- this approach, it apparently works on 4.7 thru 5.1-1 systems, reports
- from systems testing this approach say it breaks under V5.2. So there
- are 2 other approaches, set an ACL on RIGHTSLIST.DAT disabling NETWORK
- access, or using a logical name to point to RIGHTSLIST.
-
- **NOTE**
- THE ACL APPROACH MAY REQUIRE A REBOOT TO PURGE THE OLD RIGHTSLIST.DAT
- ON V4.7 SYSTEMS.
-
- 3b) Place an ACL on RIGHTSLIST.DAT to prevent network access of your user names.
- For V5.X:
-
- SET ACL SYS$SYSTEM:RIGHTSLIST.DAT /ACL=(IDENTIFIER=NETWORK,ACCESS=NONE)
-
- Version 4.X systems have a more difficult time of it since the file
- locked by other images. The suggested way of protecting it is from
- the SYSTEM account to:
-
- SET DEFAULT SYS$SYSTEM:
- COPY RIGHTSLIST.DAT *.TEMP
- SET ACL RIGHTSLIST.TEMP /ACL=(IDENTIFIER=NETWORK, ACCESS=NONE)
- RENAME RIGHTSLIST.TEMP *.DAT
-
- On completion, make sure that the protection is correct (W:R).
-
- You should purge the file as soon as possible. However, you may
- not be able to purge until the system has either been rebooted or
- OPCOM has been stopped and restarted.
-
- 3c) The logical name approach relies on "hiding" RIGHTSLIST.DAT and defining
- a system wide logical name that points to it. Network access does not
- translate this logical name.
-
- $RENAME SYS$SYSTEM:RIGHTSLIST.DAT any_old_file_you_want.dat
-
- $DEFINE/SYSTEM/EXEC RIGHTSLIST any_old_file_you_want.dat
-
- As long as the logical symbol RIGHTSLIST points to the *real*
- file, it doesn't matter what you name it, or where it is.
- The worm EXPECTS it to be in SYS$SYSTEM:RIGHTSLIST.DAT.
-
- 4) If possible, verify that none of your users are using their username for
- their password. Chances are that if they were, you'd have a worm
- running on your node right now though. The SPAN office has a toolkit
- available which contains a program that can be used for this purpose.
- Contact NCF::NETMGR for details.
-
- 5) Place an ACL on the DEFAULT BATCH Queue of Version 5.x systems.
-
- SET ACL SYS$BATCH/OBJECT=QUEUE /ACL=(IDENTIFIER=NETWORK, ACCESS=NONE)
-
- ACLS are not supported on batch queues in Version 4. It is
- suggested remote Batch be disable by inserting the following command as
- the first command in SYS$SYSTEM:NETSERVER.COM, after the label LOOP:
-
- $ DEFINE SYS$BATCH NO_SUCH_QUEUE
-
- This will prevent the command from ever getting the correct queue.
-
- ----------
- DEC also recommends that certain SYSGEN parameters be modified in
- order to thwart an attack technique the worm utilizes. The SPAN
- management supports these suggested modifications:
-
- $MCR SYSGEN
- USE CURRENT
- SET LGI_BRK_TERM 0
- SET LGI_BRK_TMO 3600
- SET LGI_HID_TIM 86400
- WRITE ACTIVE
- WRITE CURRENT
- EXIT
- $
-
- If you have been attacked by this worm, please send the node name/number
- that the attack came from and if possible, the username of the attacker.
-
- Send this information your local Routing Center Manager and to NCF::NETMGR
- on SPAN, 6277::NETMGR on HEPnet/Other nodes on the DECnet Internet.
-
- The SPAN Management office also has a new version of ANTI_WANK.COM which can
- be started in a node's batch queue to search-out and report/destroy worms
- which may be running on a node. For copies of this procedure, send mail to
- NCF::NETMGR.
-
- REMINDER - The NSI Networking Users Group (Formerly SPAN Data System Users
- Working Group - DSUWG) is meeting at Goddard Space Flight Center
- on NOV 13-15. All members of the SPAN/HEPnet community are
- invited to attend. For information, contact Valerie Thomas, SPAN
- Project Manager at (301) 286-4740, or send mail to NCF::THOMAS.
-
-