KDE Security Advisory: URI Handler Vulnerabilities

[Waldo Bastian <bastian@xxxxxxx>]

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KDE Security Advisory: URI Handler Vulnerabilities
Original Release Date: 2004-05-17
URL: http://www.kde.org/info/security/advisory-20040517-1.txt

0. References

        http://www.idefense.com/application/poi/display?id=104
        http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2004-0411
        http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/363225

1. Systems affected:

        All versions of KDE up to KDE 3.2.2 inclusive. 


2. Overview:

        iDEFENSE identified a vulnerability in the Opera Web Browser
        that could allow remote attackers to create or truncate
        arbitrary files. The KDE team has found that similar
        vulnerabilities exists in KDE.

        The telnet, rlogin, ssh and mailto URI handlers in KDE do not
        check for '-' at the beginning of the hostname passed, which
        makes it possible to pass an option to the programs started
        by the handlers.

        The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org)
        has assigned the name CAN-2004-0411 to this issue.


3. Impact:

        A remote attacker could entice a user to open a carefully crafted
        telnet URI which may either create or truncate a file anywhere 
        where the victim has permission to do so. In KDE 3.2 and later
        versions the user is first explicitly asked to confirm the opening
        of the telnet URI.

        A remote attacker could entice a user to open a carefully crafted
        mailto URI which may start the KMail program with its display 
        redirected to a remote machine under control of the attacker.
        An attacker can then use this to gain full access to the victims
        personal files and account.

        An attacker could entice a user to open a carefully crafted
        mailto URI which may start the KMail program using a configuration
        file specified by the attacker. If the attacker is able to install
        arbitrary files somewhere on the machine, the attacker can include
        commands in the configuration file which will be executed with the
        privileges of the victim allowing the attacker to gain full access
        to the victims personal files and account.

4. Solution:

        Source code patches have been made available which fix these
        vulnerabilities. Contact your OS vendor / binary package provider
        for information about how to obtain updated binary packages.


5. Patch:

        Patches for KDE 3.0.5b are available from
        ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/security_patches : 

  5c573853ec3f426d33c559958baa2169  post-3.0.5b-kdelibs-kapplication.patch
  eaf9237b3af56b3b01df966b13fe2714  post-3.0.5b-kdelibs-ktelnetservice.patch

        Patches for KDE 3.1.5 are available from
        ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/security_patches : 

  7c2bda942c4183d4163eb3f47f22e0bc  post-3.1.5-kdelibs-kapplication.patch
  bde52aa0bba055c4f678540ec20bfe5a  post-3.1.5-kdelibs-ktelnetservice.patch

        Patches for KDE 3.2.2 are available from
        ftp://ftp.kde.org/pub/kde/security_patches : 

  7cebc1abb3141287db618486fd679b32  post-3.2.2-kdelibs-kapplication.patch
  52e0e955204a77781505d33b9a3c341d  post-3.2.2-kdelibs-ktelnetservice.patch


6. Time line and credits:

        02/04/2003 Exploit acquired by iDEFENSE
        12/05/2004 Public disclosure of Opera vulnerability
        13/05/2004 KDE Team informed by Martin Ostertag
        13/05/2004 Patches created
        14/05/2004 Vendors notified
        14/05/2004 Patches created for mailto problem.
        17/05/2004 Public advisory

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