Overview

The HP-UX “passwd” utility contains a denial-of-service vulnerability.

Description

The HP-UX “passwd” utility is used to make changes to a user’s authentication credentials. A vulnerability in “passwd” may allow a local attacker to corrupt the password file.

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Impact

An attacker may be able to corrupt the password file. Corrupting the password file may cause legitimate users to be denied access to the system.

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Solution

Apply a patch, as described in HPSBUX0204-191.

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Vendor Information

977779

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Hewlett-Packard Company __ Affected

Updated: April 25, 2002

Status

Affected

Vendor Statement

HP Support Information Digests

`===============================================================================
o Security Bulletin Digest Split

The security bulletins digest has been split into multiple digests
based on the operating system (HP-UX, MPE/iX, and HP Secure OS
Software for Linux). You will continue to receive all security
bulletin digests unless you choose to update your subscriptions.
To update your subscriptions, use your browser to access the
IT Resource Center on the World Wide Web at:
<http://www.itresourcecenter.hp.com/>
Under the Maintenance and Support Menu, click on the “more…” link.
Then use the ‘login’ link at the left side of the screen to login
using your IT Resource Center User ID and Password.
Under the notifications section (near the bottom of the page), select
Support Information Digests.
To subscribe or unsubscribe to a specific security bulletin digest,
select or unselect the checkbox beside it. Then click the
“Update Subscriptions” button at the bottom of the page.
o IT Resource Center World Wide Web Service

If you subscribed through the IT Resource Center and would
like to be REMOVED from this mailing list, access the
IT Resource Center on the World Wide Web at:
<http://www.itresourcecenter.hp.com/>
Login using your IT Resource Center User ID and Password.
Then select Support Information Digests (located under
Maintenance and Support). You may then unsubscribe from the
appropriate digest.

`

Digest Name: daily HP-UX security bulletins digest Created: Wed Apr 24 3:00:03 PDT 2002
Table of Contents:
`Document ID Title

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HPSBUX0204-191 Sec. Vulnerability in passwd(1)
The documents are listed below.

`

Document ID: HPSBUX0204-191 Date Loaded: 20020423 Title: Sec. Vulnerability in passwd(1)
TEXT

` -----------------------------------------------------------------
HEWLETT-PACKARD COMPANY SECURITY BULLETIN: #0191,
Originally issued: 23 April 2002

The information in the following Security Bulletin should be acted
upon as soon as possible. Hewlett-Packard Company will not be
liable for any consequences to any customer resulting from customer’s
failure to fully implement instructions in this Security Bulletin as
soon as possible.
------------------------------------------------------------------
PROBLEM: password file corruption using passwd(1)
PLATFORM: HP 9000 Servers running HP-UX releases 11.00 and 11.11 only.
DAMAGE: Possible denial-of-service, corruption.
SOLUTION: Apply the appropriate patches for HP-UX releases:
PHCO_25527 11.00
PHCO_26904 11.04 (VVOS)
PHCO_24839 11.11
MANUAL ACTIONS: none
AVAILABILITY: Patches are available now.
------------------------------------------------------------------
A. Background
Hewlett-Packard Company has learned of a defect in use of the
passwd(1) command on HP-UX 11.00 and 11.11.
B. Fixing the problem
The recommended solution is to install the patch as detailed below.
PHCO_25527 11.00
PHCO_26904 11.04 (VVOS)
PHCO_24839 11.11
C. To subscribe to automatically receive future NEW HP Security
Bulletins from the HP IT Resource Center via electronic
mail, do the following:
Use your browser to get to the HP IT Resource Center page at:
<http://itrc.hp.com>
Use the ‘Login’ tab at the left side of the screen to login
using your ID and password. Use your existing login or the
“Register” button at the left to create a login, in order to
gain access to many areas of the ITRC. Remember to save the
User ID assigned to you, and your password.
In the left most frame select “Maintenance and Support”.
Under the “Notifications” section (near the bottom of
the page), select “Support Information Digests”.
To -subscribe- to future HP Security Bulletins or other
Technical Digests, click the check box (in the left column)
for the appropriate digest and then click the “Update
Subscriptions” button at the bottom of the page.
or
To -review- bulletins already released, select the link
(in the middle column) for the appropriate digest.
To -gain access- to the Security Patch Matrix, select
the link for “The Security Bulletins Archive”. (near the
bottom of the page) Once in the archive the third link is
to the current Security Patch Matrix. Updated daily, this
matrix categorizes security patches by platform/OS release,
and by bulletin topic. Security Patch Check completely
automates the process of reviewing the patch matrix for
11.XX systems.
For information on the Security Patch Check tool, see:
<http://www.software.hp.com/cgi-bin/swdepot_parser.cgi/cgi/>
displayProductInfo.pl?productNumber=B6834AA"
The security patch matrix is also available via anonymous
ftp:
ftp.itrc.hp.com:~ftp/export/patches/hp-ux_patch_matrix
On the “Support Information Digest Main” page:
click on the “HP Security Bulletin Archive”.
`

D. To report new security vulnerabilities, send email to
[email protected]
Please encrypt any exploit information using the security-alert PGP key, available from your local key server, or by sending a message with a -subject- (not body) of 'get key' (no quotes) to [email protected].
Permission is granted for copying and circulating this Bulletin to Hewlett-Packard (HP) customers (or the Internet community) for the purpose of alerting them to problems, if and only if, the Bulletin is not edited or changed in any way, is attributed to HP, and provided such reproduction and/or distribution is performed for non-commercial purposes.
` Any other use of this information is prohibited. HP is not
liable for any misuse of this information by any third party.

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–
-----End of Document ID: HPSBUX0204-191--------------------------------------
`

Vendor Information

The vendor has not provided us with any further information regarding this vulnerability.

Addendum

The CERT/CC has no additional comments at this time.

If you have feedback, comments, or additional information about this vulnerability, please send us [email](<mailto:[email protected]?Subject=VU%23977779 Feedback>).

CVSS Metrics

Group	Score	Vector
Base
Temporal
Environmental

References

• <http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/4582&gt;
• <http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/xfdb/8939&gt;

Acknowledgements

This document was written by Ian A. Finlay.

Other Information

CVE IDs:	CVE-2002-0577
Severity Metric:	2.95 Date Public: