[UNIX] Denial-of-Service Vulnerability in ISC BIND 9

From: support@securiteam.com
Date: 06/05/02 

From: support@securiteam.com
To: list@securiteam.com
Date: Wed,  5 Jun 2002 08:34:30 +0200 (CEST)

The following security advisory is sent to the securiteam mailing list, and can be found at the SecuriTeam web site: http://www.securiteam.com
- - promotion

When was the last time you checked your server's security?
How about a monthly report?
http://www.AutomatedScanning.com - Know that you're safe.
- - - - - - - - -

  Denial-of-Service Vulnerability in ISC BIND 9
------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY

A denial-of-service vulnerability exists in version 9 of the Internet
Software Consortium's (ISC) Berkeley Internet Name Domain (BIND) server.
ISC BIND versions 8 and 4 are not affected. Exploiting this vulnerability
will cause the BIND server to shut down.

DETAILS

Systems Affected:
 * Domain Name System (DNS) servers running ISC BIND 9 prior to 9.2.1
Because the normal operation of most services on the Internet depends on
the proper operation of DNS servers, other services could be affected if
this vulnerability is exploited.

Details:
BIND is an implementation of the Domain Name System (DNS) that is
maintained by the ISC. A vulnerability exists in version 9 of BIND that
allows remote attackers to shut down BIND servers. An attacker can cause
the shutdown by sending a specific DNS packet designed to trigger an
internal consistency check. However, this vulnerability will not allow an
attacker to execute arbitrary code or write data to arbitrary locations in
memory.

The internal consistency check that triggers the shutdown occurs when the
rdataset parameter to the dns_message_findtype() function in message.c is
not NULL as expected. The condition causes the code to assert an error
message and call abort() to shut down the BIND server. It is also possible
to accidentally trigger this vulnerability using common queries found in
routine operation, especially queries originating from SMTP servers.

Impact:
Exploitation of this vulnerability will cause the BIND server to abort and
shut down. As a result, the BIND server will not be available unless it is
restarted.

Solution:
Apply a patch from your vendor

The ISC has released BIND version 9.2.1. The CERT/CC recommends that users
of BIND 9 apply a patch from their vendor or upgrade to BIND 9.2.1.

Vendor Information:
This appendix contains information provided by vendors for this advisory.
As vendors report new information to the CERT/CC, we will update this
section and note the changes in our revision history. If a particular
vendor is not listed below, we have not received their comments.

Apple
The version of BIND that ships in Mac OS X and Mac OS X Server does not
contain this vulnerability.

BSDI
Wind River Systems, Inc. does not include BIND 9 with any version of
BSD/OS.

Caldera
SCO OpenServer from Caldera does not ship BIND9, and is therefore not
vulnerable. Caldera Open UNIX does ship BIND9, and is vulnerable. We are
investigating. Caldera OpenLinux does not ship BIND9, and is therefore not
vulnerable.

Compaq Computer Corporation
HP Alpha Server Products:
HP Tru64 UNIX:
Tru64 UNIX is not vulnerable to this reported problem. HP Tru64 UNIX ships
with BIND 8.2.2-p5

TCP/IP for HP OpenVMS:
TCP/IP for HP OpenVMS is not vulnerable to this reported problem. The
current versions of TCP/IP for HP OpenVMS ship BIND 8.2.2-p5

HP NonStop Server:
"HP NonStop Himalaya is not vulnerable to this problem. The 'named'
function of Domain Name Server (T6021) that is implemented for HP NonStop
Himalaya is based on BIND 4.8. NonStop DNS is the only Himalaya software
product that includes 'named'."

Hewlett-Packard Company
HP is Vulnerable, Solution investigation continuing..

Cray
Cray, Inc. is not vulnerable since the BIND distributed with Unicos and
Unicos/mk is not based on BIND 9.

Engarde
Guardian Digital does not ship BIND 9 in any versions of EnGarde Secure
Linux. Therefore, we are not vulnerable. All versions were shipped with
BIND 8.

F5 Networks, Inc.
F5 Networks' products do not include BIND 9, and are therefore not
affected by this vulnerability.

FreeBSD
The FreeBSD base system does not ship with ISC BIND 9. However, ISC BIND 9
is available in the FreeBSD Ports Collection. It is currently at version
9.2.1 and is therefore unaffected.

IBM
After analysis of the affected component, IBM has determined that the AIX
bind daemon is not vulnerable to the attack as described in the CERT
advisory.

Internet Software Consortium
This vulnerability was found through routine bug analysis. BIND 9 is
designed to exit when it detects an internal consistency error to reduce
the impact of bugs in the server. ISC strongly recommends that all BIND 9
users upgrade immediately to 9.2.1. BIND 9.2.1 can be found at
<http://www.isc.org/products/BIND/bind9.html>
http://www.isc.org/products/BIND/bind9.html.

MandrakeSoft
Mandrake Linux 8.x ships with BIND9 and as such, updated packages will be
available as early as possible.

Microsoft Corporation
Microsoft has reviewed the information and can confirm that our products
are not affected by this vulnerability.

NEC Corporation
EWS/UP 48 Series operating system is NOT vulnerable.

NetBSD
NetBSD has not included Bind 9 in the base system of any release or
current development branch. Bind 9 is available from the third party
software system, pkgsrc. Users who have installed net/bind9 or
net/bind9-current should update to a fixed version.
pkgsrc/security/audit-packages can be used to keep up to date with these
types of issues.

Network Appliance
No NetApp products contain any BIND code, so no NetApp product is
vulnerable to this problem.

Nortel Networks Limited
Nortel Networks is reviewing its portfolio to determine if any products
are affected by the vulnerability noted in CERT Advisory CA-2002-15. A
definitive statement will be issued shortly.

Red Hat
Red Hat distributed BIND 9 in Red Hat Linux versions 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3. We
are currently working on producing errata packages, when complete these
will be available along with our advisory at the URL below. At the same
time users of the Red Hat Network will be able to update their systems
using the 'up2date' tool
<http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-105.html>
http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-105.html.

Silicon Graphics, Inc.
IRIX does not ship with BIND9 and is not vulnerable.

Sun Microsystems
Sun does not ship BIND 9 with any version of Solaris at this time and is
therefore not affected by this issue.

SuSE, Inc.
We are affected by the bind9 DoS issue as well. All of our currently
supported SuSE Linux products come with a bind9 package. We will release
an announcement for the issue, coordinated with your timeframe and not
before, we see your official announcement.

Unisphere Networks, Inc.
The Unisphere Networks ERX family of edge routers does not implement a DNS
server or named daemon within the Unison OS. Additionally, the DNS client
found on the ERX is not based on the ISC BIND code. Unisphere Networks has
no reason to expect a similar problem exists in the DNS client
implementation found on the ERX.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The information has been provided by <mailto:cert-advisory@cert.org> CERT
Advisory.

========================================

This bulletin is sent to members of the SecuriTeam mailing list.
To unsubscribe from the list, send mail with an empty subject line and body to: list-unsubscribe@securiteam.com
In order to subscribe to the mailing list, simply forward this email to: list-subscribe@securiteam.com

====================
====================

DISCLAIMER:
The information in this bulletin is provided "AS IS" without warranty of any kind.
In no event shall we be liable for any damages whatsoever including direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, loss of business profits or special damages.

Relevant Pages