Category Archives: Emerging Threats

Checkpoint VPN XSS, Multiple Java Vulns

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Checkpoint VPN-1 UTM Edge is vulnerable to cross site scripting. This particular XSS vulnerability allows for reflective cross site scripting pre authentication. This could allow attackers to embed the login form in an html form for deceptive and malicious purposes. The latest firmware version, 7.5.48, reportedly does not contain this vulnerability.

There are multiple vulnerabilities in Java. This includes Java Web Start, the JRE and SDK. These vulnerabilities could lead to a Denial of Service or system compromise. All of the more recent versions of Java are vulnerable, so if you haven’t updated your Java install in a few weeks, now would be the time to do so.

Lighttpd, a popular light open source web server, is vulnerable to CGI source exposure and potential denial of service. Version 1.4.18-r2 is affected and a newer version is available.

New Advanced Botnets Discovered

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Previously undetected botnets have been found to be running under the radar. The largest one has gained the name “MayDay”. MayDay has not infected a lot of systems yet, like Storm has, but has advanced capabilities to evade detection. Notably, it’s able to send HTTP traffic through an enterprises proxy. The bot also uses peer-to-peer technology, through two channels, to stay in contact. The bot appears to be using both TCP and ICMP for data transmission.Even though this bot isn’t a large threat yet, it shows that bot development isn’t going to stop any time soon. Bot writers are getting smarter and more clever, while detection and analysis techniques are lagging behind.

Increase in European “Options” HTTP Scans from Linux Systems

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Over the weekend, we saw a large increase in HoneyPoint captures of HTTP fingerprinting scans using the “Options *” technique. Even more interesting was that nearly all of these scans originated in Europe. The scans were all originated from Linux boxes and simple port probes show all of the boxes to be running OpenSSH 4.3 (some with p2). Other ports show no consistency on the originating systems.

Clearly, it could be a coincidence, but for multiple hosts to show only that correlating port, it could also be a specific exploit for OpenSSH 2.4. Additional research shows a few known issues with this version of OpenSSH. Perhaps a new bot-net is being launched by leveraging this vulnerability?

We are deploying additional SSH HoneyPoints to try and capture more data about possible exploitation of systems meeting these implementations.

Editor’s Note: The current version is OpenSSH 4.7/4.7p1 – so if you are using older versions (including 4.2/4.3) you should upgrade as soon as possible to the current revision.

Post revised to update for identified existing OpenSSH issues. 

Multiple IBM AIX Vulnerabilities

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Vulnerabilities have been discovered in AIX’s X server and inet_network libc library that can lead to a number of threats. These include the execution of arbitrary code in a root context, Denial of Service, or exposure of sensitive data. The original IBM advisories are located at:

AIX X server multiple vulnerabilities

AIX libc inet_network buffer overflow

Thunderbird 2 MIME vulnerability

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Mozilla Thunderbird 2.0.0.9 has been found to contain a heap buffer overflow vulnerability due to the way it handles external-body MIME types. Systems running this version of Thunderbird are vulnerable to compromise or the execution of arbitrary code via specially crafted email messages. You should update to Thunderbird 2.0.0.12 as soon as possible.

Mozilla’s advisory is located at: http://www.mozilla.org/security/announce/2008/mfsa2008-12.html

ICQ Vulnerability Should Increase Your Vigilance

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A newly discovered format string error in ICQ version 6 build 6043 once again highlights the need to be cautious about who you are conversing with. Interaction  with the embedded Internet Explorer component can allow specially crafted messages to execute arbitrary code on the affected system. Make sure that you only open messages from known and trusted contacts.  It is a good idea to clean unknown or untrusted contacts from your contact list and enable the “Accept messages only from contacts” option. The build named above is known to be vulnerable other versions may also be affected

VMWare Directory Traversal for Shared Folders

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Multiple VMWare products running on Windows platforms with Shared Folders are vulnerable to a directory traversal attack. If an attacker can has access to a guest operating system they can exploit the vulnerability to gain write access to the underlying hosting system. This obviously opens the door for a multitude of attacks.

Until a patch is released users on Windows are advised to disable any Shared Folders that they may have configured.

The original advisory is at:http://kb.vmware.com/selfservice/microsites/search.do?language=en_US&cmd=displayKC&externalId=1004034

WMWare ESX Multiple Vulns, Novell iPrint Remote Code

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VMWare ESX is vulnerable to multiple issues, including the bypassing of security restrictions, system compromise, denial of service, and the disclosure of sensitive information. Currently, VMWare ESX 2.x and 3.x are vulnerable. VMWare has released a patch for this issue, available from www.vmware.com.
Novell iPrint Client is vulnerable to remote exploitation. The vulnerability lies in the active control ienipp.ocx and can be exploited remotely to cause a stack based buffer overflow. This has been confirmed in version 4.26 and 4.32. Novell recommends all users update to version 4.34.

Symantec Veritas Storage Foundation Vulnerabilities

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Two new vulnerabilites have been reported in Symantec’s Veritas Storage Foundation product. Both are primarily Denial of Sevice issues, but one may lead to the execution of arbitrary code. This more serious issue is caused by input validation issues in the Administrator Service and can be exploited by sending a specially crafted packet to one of the products default ports, 3207/UDP. This vulnerability affects version 5.0 on both Windows and Unix/Linux systems. The lesser vulnerability is also caused by an input validation issue, this time in the Veritas Scheduler service. It can be exploited by sending a specially crafted packet to the default port 4888/TCP.

The original Symantec advisories are available at:
SYM08-005: http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/security/Content/2008.02.20a.html

and

SYM08-004:
http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/security/Content/2008.02.20.html