Hewlett-Packard HP-UX Remote ldcconn Buffer Overflow Vulnerability iDefense Security Advisory 08.07.07 http://labs.idefense.com/intelligence/vulnerabilities/ Aug 07, 2007 I. BACKGROUND Cisco Local Director is a load-balancing, connection fail-over device used to help manage large enterprise networks. HP-UX allows for easy interfacing with Cisco Local Director using the HP Controller for Cisco Local Director package. In this package is ldcconn, which is configured to run via inetd on TCP port 17781. II. DESCRIPTION Remote exploitation of a buffer overflow vulnerability in ldcconn allows attackers to execute arbitrary code with root privileges. By sending a long string to the TCP port that ldcconn listens on, a buffer overflow is triggered. No authentication or data validation is performed. III. ANALYSIS Exploitation allows unauthenticated remote attackers to gain root access on affected machines. The seriousness of this vulnerability is increased by the fact that in most cases an attacker will have unlimited attempts at successful exploitation due to the fact that inetd will continue to launch the service for each new connection. IV. DETECTION iDefense confirmed the existence of this vulnerability in HP-UX 11.11i. It is suspected that other versions are also vulnerable. To determine if ldcconn is installed on your specific install, use the command: # swlist -l file | grep ldcconn If this command returns anything, it means it is installed. To tell if it is currently configured to run from inetd, use the command: # grep ldcconn /etc/inetd.conf If it returns an entry, that means it is currently configured to run from inetd. V. WORKAROUND Firewall rules should be set to only allow Cisco equipment to access the service (port 17781). If the service is not being used, simply remove, or comment out, the entry in /etc/inetd.conf and restart inetd. VI. VENDOR RESPONSE Hewlett-Packard states that this product is obsolete and no longer supported. They have no plans to release a patch or advisory. They further stated that the version of HP-UX used to verify this vulnerability is also obsolete. "HP simply recommends that customers upgrade to a currently supported OS release and to some other tool, if one is available." VII. CVE INFORMATION A Mitre Corp. Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) number has not been assigned yet. VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE 11/02/2004 Initial vendor notification 11/03/2004 Initial vendor response 12/19/2005 Second vendor notification 01/30/2007 Third vendor notification 01/30/2007 Third vendor response 04/25/2007 Status update requested 06/08/2007 Status update requested 07/24/2007 Status update requested 07/30/2007 Vendor stated product's support ended in 2002 08/06/2007 Vendor communicated their response 08/07/2007 Coordinated public disclosure IX. CREDIT This vulnerability was discovered by iDefense Labs. Get paid for vulnerability research http://labs.idefense.com/methodology/vulnerability/vcp.php Free tools, research and upcoming events http://labs.idefense.com/ X. LEGAL NOTICES Copyright © 2007 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 e-mail customerservice@xxxxxxxxxxxx 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.
