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ISS Security Advisory
November 2nd, 1998

Hidden community string in SNMP implementation

Synopsis:

Internet Security System (ISS) X-Force has discovered a serious vulnerability 
in Sun Microsystems Solstice Enterprise Agent and the Solaris operating system.  
This vulnerability allows attackers to execute arbitrary commands with root 
privileges, manipulate system parameters and kill processes.

Affected Systems:

ISS X-Force has discovered that this vulnerability is present on the Solaris 
Operating System version 2.6.  Earlier versions are vulnerable.  Solaris 2.7 
beta is also not vulnerable.

Fix Information:

Sun has made the following patch available:

106787-02:		Solaris 5.6

Many administrators have no need for host based SNMP agents.  Administrators 
can disable the SNMP daemons temporarily by executing the following commands:

# /etc/init.d/init.snmpdx stop
# mv /etc/rc3.d/S76snmpdx /etc/rc3.d/DISABLED_S76snmpdx

Description:

The vulnerabilities are present in the SNMP daemons shipping with Solaris 2.6.  
Solaris 2.6 is configured by default to support SNMP.  A hidden and 
undocumented community string is present in the SNMP subagent which may allow 
remote attackers change most system parameters.  Remote attackers may kill any 
process, update routes, potentially sidestep firewalls or disable network 
interfaces.  Most notably, attackers may indirectly execute arbitrary commands 
with superuser privileges.

This vulnerability is compounded by the fact that these SNMP daemons are 
configured and executed by default.  Attackers do not need local access to the 
target host to exploit this vulnerability.

Additional Information:

ISS Internet Scanner and ISS RealSecure real-time intrusion detection software 
have the capability to detect these vulnerabilities.  

- ----------

Copyright (c) 1998 by Internet Security Systems, Inc.

Permission is hereby granted for the redistribution of this alert
electronically.  It is not to be edited in any way without express consent
of X-Force.  If you wish to reprint the whole or any part of this alert in
any other medium excluding electronic medium, please e-mail xforce@iss.net
for permission.

Disclaimer
The information within this paper may change without notice. Use of this
information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are
NO warranties with regard to this information. In no event shall the author
be liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of or in connection with
the use or spread of this information. Any use of this information is at
the user's own risk.

X-Force PGP Key available at: http://www.iss.net/xforce/sensitive.html as
well as on MIT's PGP key server and PGP.com's key server.

X-Force Vulnerability and Threat Database: http://www.iss.net/xforce

Please send suggestions, updates, and comments to:
X-Force <xforce@iss.net> of Internet Security Systems, Inc.


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