=========================================================================== CA-94:03 CERT Advisory February 24, 1994 IBM AIX Performance Tools Vulnerabilities --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The CERT Coordination Center has received information concerning vulnerabilities in the "bosext1.extcmds.obj" Licensed Program Product (performance tools). These problems exist on IBM AIX 3.2.4 systems that have Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) U420020 or U422510 installed and on all AIX 3.2.5 systems. CERT recommends that affected sites apply the workaround provided in section III below. I. Description Vulnerabilities exist in the bosext1.extcmds.obj performance tools in AIX 3.2.5 and in those AIX 3.2.4 systems with Program Temporary Fixes (PTFs) U420020 or U422510 installed. These problems do not exist in earlier versions of AIX. II. Impact Local users can gain unauthorized root access to the system. III. Workaround A. The recommended workaround is to change the permissions of all the programs in the /usr/lpp/bosperf directory structure so that the setuid bit is removed and the programs can be executed only by 'root'. This can be accomplished as follows: % su root # chmod -R u-s,og= /usr/lpp/bosperf/* The programs affected by this workaround include: filemon, fileplace, genkex, genkld, genld, lvedit, netpmon, rmap, rmss, stripnm, svmon, tprof As a result of this workaround, these programs will no longer be executable by users other than 'root'. B. Patches for these problems can be ordered as Authorized Program Analysis Report (APAR) IX42332. To order an APAR from IBM call 1-800-237-5511 and ask for shipment as soon as it is available. APARs may be obtained outside the U.S. by contacting your local IBM representative. Any further information that we receive on APAR IX42332 will be available by anonymous FTP in the file pub/cert_advisories/CA-94:03.README on info.cert.org. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- The CERT Coordination Center wishes to thank Jill K. Bowyer of USAF/DISA for reporting this problem and IBM for their prompt response to this problem. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- If you believe that your system has been compromised, contact the CERT Coordination Center or your representative in Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST). Internet E-mail: cert@cert.org Telephone: 412-268-7090 (24-hour hotline) CERT personnel answer 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. EST(GMT-5)/EDT(GMT-4), and are on call for emergencies during other hours. CERT Coordination Center Software Engineering Institute Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, PA 15213-3890 Past advisories, information about FIRST representatives, and other information related to computer security are available for anonymous FTP on info.cert.org.