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Date:      Tue, 19 Nov 1996 21:01:17 -0600 (CST)
From:      "S(pork)" <spork@super-g.com>
To:        Carey.Nairn@its.utas.edu.au
Cc:        FreeBSD Questions <questions@freebsd.org>
Subject:   Re: sendmail security problem
Message-ID:  <Pine.LNX.3.92.961119205830.1956F-100000@super-g.inch.com>
In-Reply-To: <Pine.SOL.3.91.961120094257.4595H-100000@wedge.its.utas.edu.au>

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I believe that -stable and 2.1.6 are OK at this point, I grabbed
/usr/src/usr.sbin/sendmail out and it had the patch against this exploit
in it.  There was a small problem that made the make break that I remedied
by deleting a line, I believe that has been fixed...  Here's what you'll
see in your logs with the patched version if someone gives it a go:

Nov 17 23:35:40 test sendmail[9466]: uid 1000 tried to start daemon mode

Nice...  Now I know who the sneaky users are...

Charles

On Wed, 20 Nov 1996, Carey Nairn wrote:

> I have just seen a CERT advisory regarding a security problem with
> sendmail as follows:
>
> AUSCERT has received information that sendmail versions 8.7.x to 8.8.2
> (inclusive) contain a serious security vulnerability.
>
> This vulnerability may allow local users to gain root privileges.
>
> Exploit details involving this vulnerability have been widely distributed.
>
> AUSCERT recommends that sites takes the steps outlined in Section 3
> as soon as possible.
> - ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 1.  Description
>
>     A vulnerability exists in all versions of sendmail from 8.7.x to 8.8.2
>     that allows local users to gain root privileges.
>
>     A user can invoke sendmail in "daemon" mode by naming it to be "smtpd".
>     Due to a coding error, this bypasses the usual check that only root
>     can start the daemon.  As of 8.7, sendmail will restart itself when
>     it gets a SIGHUP signal.  By manipulating the environment in which
>     sendmail is run it is possible to force sendmail into executing an
>     arbitrary program with root privileges.
>
>     AUSCERT has been informed that sendmail versions prior to 8.8.x are
>     no longer supported.  Sites using older versions of sendmail will need
>     to upgrade to the current version of sendmail.
>
> ....
>
> I guess this means that FreeBSD version prior to 2.1.6 are vulnerable.
> My question is what version of sendmail is shipped with 2.1.6 (and 2.2).
>
> Cheers,
> Carey
>
> =========================================================================
> | Carey Nairn                     | email : Carey.Nairn@its.utas.edu.au |
> | Infrastructure Services         | phone : (03) 6226 7419              |
> | Information Technology Services | fax   : (03) 6226 7898              |
> | University of Tasmania.         | int'l : (+61 3)                     |
> =========================================================================
>
>
>
>




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