O-088: Sun passwd(1) Command Vulnerability Privacy and Legal Notice

CIAC INFORMATION BULLETIN

O-088: Sun passwd(1) Command Vulnerability

[Sun Alert ID: 57454]

March 2, 2004 22:00 GMT

PROBLEM: The passwd command computes the hash of a password typed at run-time or the hash of each password in a list. A vulnerability exists in this command.
PLATFORM: Solaris 8, 9 (SPARC and x86 Platforms)
DAMAGE: A local unprivileged user may be able to gain unauthorized root privileges due to a security issue involving the passwd(1) command.
SOLUTION: Install the security patch.

VULNERABILITY
ASSESSMENT:
The risk is MEDIUM. A local unprivileged user may be able to gain unauthorized root privileges.

LINKS:  
  CIAC BULLETIN: http://www.ciac.org/ciac/bulletins/o-088.shtml
  ORIGINAL BULLETIN: Sun Alert ID: 57454
http://www.sunsolve.sun.com/pub-cgi/retrieve.pl?doc=fsalert%2F57454&zone_32=category%3Asecurity

[***** Start Sun Alert ID:  57454 *****]

Sun(sm) Alert Notification 
Sun Alert ID: 57454 
Synopsis: Security Vulnerability Involving the passwd(1) Command 
Category: Security 
Product: Solaris 
BugIDs: 4793719 
Avoidance: Patch 
State: Resolved 
Date Released: 26-Feb-2004 
Date Closed: 26-Feb-2004 
Date Modified: 

1. Impact 

A local unprivileged user may be able to gain unauthorized root privileges due to a 
security issue involving the passwd(1) command. 

Sun acknowledges, with thanks, Tim Wort (Tim.Wort@InklingResearch.com) for contacting 
us regarding this issue. 

2. Contributing Factors 

This issue can occur in the following releases: 

SPARC Platform 

Solaris 8 with patch 108993-14 through 108993-31 and without patch 108993-32 
Solaris 9 without patch 113476-11 

x86 Platform 

Solaris 8 with patch 108994-14 through 108994-31 and without patch 108994-32 
Solaris 9 without patch 114242-07 


Note: Solaris 7 is not affected by this issue. 

3. Symptoms 

There are no reliable symptoms that would show the described issue has been exploited 
to gain unauthorized elevated privileges to a host. 

4. Relief/Workaround 

There is no workaround for this issue. 

5. Resolution 

This issue is addressed in the following releases: 

SPARC Platform 

Solaris 8 with patch 108993-32 or later 
Solaris 9 with patch 113476-11 or later 

x86 Platform 

Solaris 8 with patch 108994-32 or later 
Solaris 9 with patch 114242-07 or later 

This Sun Alert notification is being provided to you on an "AS IS" basis. This Sun Alert 
notification may contain information provided by third parties. The issues described in 
this Sun Alert notification may or may not impact your system(s). Sun makes no 
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these agreements. 

Copyright 2000-2004 Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, CA 95054 U.S.A. 
All rights reserved. 

[***** End Sun Alert ID:  57454 *****]


CIAC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Sun Microsystems for the information contained in this bulletin.
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