iDEFENSE Security Advisory 09.27.04 - IBM AIX ctstrtcasd Local File Corruption Vulnerability

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Date: 09/27/04

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    IBM AIX ctstrtcasd Local File Corruption Vulnerability

    iDEFENSE Security Advisory 09.27.04
    www.idefense.com/application/poi/display?id=144&type=vulnerabilities
    September 27, 2004

    I. BACKGROUND

    The ctstrtcasd program is a setuid root application, installed by
    default under newer versions of IBM AIX. It is part of the Reliable
    Scalable Cluster Technology (RSCT) system. It is also installed with
    multiple IBM products under Linux, including IBM Tivoli System
    Automation, IBM Cluster Systems Management, IBM Hardware Management
    Console, and IBM General Parallel File System.

    II. DESCRIPTION

    Local exploitation of an input validation vulnerability in the
    ctstrtcasd command included by default in multiple versions of IBM Corp.
    AIX could allow for the corruption or creation of arbitrary files
    anywhere on the system.

    If a user specifies a file with the -f option, the contents of that file
    will be overwritten with 65,535 bytes of application trace data. If the
    file doesn't exist, it will be created. The file creation/overwrite is
    done with root privileges, thus allowing an attacker to cause a denial
    of service condition by damaging the file system or by filling the drive
    with 65,535 byte files.

    III. ANALYSIS

    All that is required to exploit this vulnerability is a local account.
    Exploitation does not require any knowledge of application internals,
    making exploitation trivial, even for unskilled attackers. It
    is not evident that privilege escalation is possible through abuse of
    this.

    IV. DETECTION

    iDEFENSE has confirmed the existence of this vulnerability in IBM AIX
    5.2. IBM has reported that RSCT versions 2.3.0.0 and greater are
    affected, for AIX 5.2 and 5.3 on pSeries; AIX on i5/OS (iSeries); RSCT
    on Linux (pSeries, xSeries, zSeries), and the pSeries Hardware
    Management Console. Products shipping and installing these affected
    versions of RSCT as reported by IBM are as follows:
     
      IBM AIX 5L Version 5.2 on pSeries
      IBM AIX 5L Version 5.3 on pSeries
      IBM AIX 5L Version 5.2, 5.3 on an i5/OS (iSeries) partition
      IBM Tivoli System Automation (TSA) for Linux 1.1
      IBM Tivoli System Automation (TSA) for Multiplatforms 1.2
      IBM Cluster Systems Management (CSM) for Linux Version 1.4
         (version 1.4 and greater)
      IBM Hardware Management Console (HMC) for pSeries Version 3
      IBM Hardware Management Console (HMC) for pSeries Version 4
      IBM General Parallel File System (GPFS) Version 2 Release 2
          on Linux for xSeries and Linux for pSeries

    V. WORKAROUND

    Only allow trusted users local access to security critical systems.
    Alternately, remove the setuid bit from ctstrtcasd using chmod 555
    /usr/sbin/rsct/bin/ctstrtcasd.

    VI. VENDOR RESPONSE

    "Apply the workarounds or APARs as described [in the associated IBM
    Security Alert].

    If you would like to receive AIX Security Advisories via email, please
    visit:

       https://techsupport.services.ibm.com/server/pseries.subscriptionSvcs"

    VII. CVE INFORMATION

    The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned the
    names CAN-2004-0828 to these issues. This is a candidate for inclusion
    in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardizes names for
    security problems.
     
    VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE
     
    08/11/2004 Initial vendor notification
    08/25/2004 Secondary vendor notification
    08/26/2004 Vendor response
    09/27/2004 Coordinated public disclosure
     
    IX. CREDIT
     
    iDEFENSE Labs is credited with this discovery.
     
    Get paid for vulnerability research
    http://www.idefense.com/poi/teams/vcp.jsp

    X. LEGAL NOTICES

    Copyright (c) 2004 iDEFENSE, Inc.

    Permission is granted for the redistribution of this alert
    electronically. It may not be edited in any way without the express
    written consent of iDEFENSE. If you wish to reprint the whole or any
    part of this alert in any other medium other than electronically, please
    email customerservice@idefense.com for permission.

    Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate
    at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use
    of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition.
    There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the
    author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect,
    or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on,
    this information.

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