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Corsaire Security Advisory - Netopia Timbuktu remote buffer overflow issue



-- Corsaire Security Advisory --

Title: Netopia Timbuktu remote buffer overflow issue
Date: 20.07.04
Application: Timbuktu v7.0.3
Environment: Mac OS X (10.1, 10.2, 10.3)
Author: Stephen de Vries [stephen.de.vries@xxxxxxxxxxxx]
Audience: General release
Reference: c040720-001


-- Scope --

The aim of this document is to define a vulnerability in the Timbuktu 
product for Mac OS X, as supplied by Netopia [1], that allows a remote 
attacker to crash the application and effectively deny service to 
legitimate users.


-- History --

Discovered: 20.07.04 
Vendor notified: 27.08.04
Document released: 19.11.04


-- Overview --

The Timbuktu software is shipped as a client/server application that 
allows remote users to access the desktop of a host system.  The server 
component of this application is vulnerable to a remote buffer overflow 
vulnerability that, when exploited, causes the server process to crash.


-- Analysis --

The server process runs with root privileges on the host Mac OS X and 
listens for client connections on TCP port 407.  By making a number of 
concurrent connections to this port and repeatedly sending a particular 
string of data, a memory buffer is overwritten and the server process 
crashes.  


-- Recommendations --

Upgrade to version v7.0.4 of the Timbuktu application.


-- CVE --

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned the 
name CAN-2004-0810 to this issue. This is a candidate for inclusion in 
the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardises names for 
security problems.


-- References --

[1] http://www.netopia.com


-- Revision --

a. Initial release.
b. Minor detail revision.


-- Distribution --

This security advisory may be freely distributed, provided that it 
remains unaltered and in its original form. 


-- Disclaimer --

The information contained within this advisory is supplied "as-is" with 
no warranties or guarantees of fitness of use or otherwise. Corsaire 
accepts no responsibility for any damage caused by the use or misuse of 
this information.


-- About Corsaire --

Corsaire are a leading information security consultancy, founded in 1997 
in Guildford, Surrey, UK. Corsaire bring innovation, integrity and 
analytical rigour to every job, which means fast and dramatic security 
performance improvements. Our services centre on the delivery of 
information security planning, assessment, implementation, management 
and vulnerability research. 

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http://www.penetration-testing.com 


Copyright 2004 Corsaire Limited. All rights reserved.