Major Internet vulnerability discovered in e-mail protocol

Dan Verton   Today’s Top Stories    or  Other Spam, Malware and Vulnerabilities Stories  

Avoiding the Latest Phishing Attacks Computerworld presents a 100% free and online security event today! Client Security Podcast Intercept Spam & Viruses Spam Spikes: A Real Risk to Your Business What Every E-Business Should Know about SSL Security and Consumer Trust Sign up to receive Security Resource Alerts

March 03, 2003 (Computerworld) -- The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has been working in secret for more than two weeks with the private sector to fix a major Internet vulnerability that could have had disastrous consequences for millions of businesses and the U.S. military.
Since early December, the DHS and the White House Office of Cyberspace Security have been working with Atlanta-based Internet Security Systems Inc. (ISS) to alert IT vendors and the business community about a major buffer-overflow vulnerability in the sendmail mail-transfer agent (MTA).
Sendmail is the most common MTA and handles 50% to 75% of all Internet e-mail traffic. Versions of the software, from 5.79 to 8.12.7, are vulnerable, according to an ISS alert issued publicly today.
According to sources familiar with the investigation, ISS discovered the vulnerability on Dec. 1. It contacted the homeland security officials on Dec. 5, who began alerting IT vendors that distribute sendmail, including Sun Microsystems Inc., IBM, Hewlett-Packard Co. and Silicon Graphics Inc., as well as the Sendmail Consortium, the organization that develops the open-source version of sendmail that is distributed with both free and commercial operating systems. Those vendors were told of the flaw on Jan. 13. The seriousness of the vulnerability, coupled with the fact that the hacker community wasn't yet aware of it, led the government and ISS to decide it was better to keep the news under wraps until patches could be developed.
The Sendmail Consortium is urging all users to upgrade to Sendmail 8.12.8 or apply a patch for 8.12.x or for older versions. Updates can be downloaded from ftp.sendmail.org or any of its mirrors, or from the Sendmail Consortium's Web site. The consortium said patch users should remember to check the Pretty Good Privacy signatures of any patches or releases obtained. It also suggested that users running the open-source version of sendmail check with their vendors for a patch.
Emeryville, Calif.-based Sendmail Inc., the commercial provider of the sendmail MTA, is providing a binary patch for its commercial customers that can be downloaded from its Web site at: www.sendmail.com/.
"The Remote Sendmail Header Processing Vulnerability allows local and remote users to gain almost complete control of a vulnerable Sendmail server," according to an alert prepared today by the DHS. "Attackers gain the ability to execute privileged commands using super-user (root) access/control. This vulnerability can be exploited through a simple e-mail message containing malicious code.
"System administrators should be aware that many Sendmail servers are not typically shielded by perimeter defense applications" such as firewalls, warned the DHS alert, which hadn't yet been made publicly available as of midafternoon. "A successful attacker could install malicious code, run destructive programs and modify or delete files."
In addition, attackers could gain access to other systems through a compromised sendmail server, depending on local configurations, according to the DHS warning.

Continued...
1 | 2 | NEXT  

Print this Story

Send Us Feedback

E-mail this Story

Digg this Story

Slashdot this Story

"It's IT Blogwatch: in which Grisoft, maker of the AVG anti-virus package, backs down in its attempt to DDoS the..." Read more... Read more Security posts or See all Blogs

Google gives away home-cooked Web application security scanner HP eyes move of support facilities out of Colorado Springs Microsoft trumpets security additions in upcoming IE8 More top stories...

How much is too much? Upgrade your notebook without going over the line French ruling on counterfeit goods could have far-reaching effects for eBay Apple cuts price of high-end SSD MacBook Air by $500

This old laptop: Revitalizing an aging notebook on the cheap All it takes is a couple hours and about $125 to breathe new life into an old laptop. Here's how. Bill Gates moves on Is Microsoft's Golden Age over? What are Gates' most memorable quotes? Find out in Computerworld's complete coverage of the end of the Bill Gates era at Microsoft. Five things you should never tell your boss There are some things your CIO definitely doesn't want to hear. Also don't miss the flipside, Five things you should always tell your boss. Hands-On: Firefox 3 fixes what's broke and keeps what's right With its latest version, Mozilla's browser continues to raise the bar for what Web browsers should be. Windows Vista A to Z Reviews, analyses, how-tos, visual tours, hot issues and predictions about Microsoft's new OS. More Continuing Coverage After 9/11: Homeland SecurityAsk a Premier 100 IT LeaderBlackBerry Legal BattleData Security BreachesElectronic VotingFirefoxH-1B VisasHP's Boardroom ScandalHandheld DevicesHurricane Katrina AftermathMicrosoft Legal IssuesMicrosoft's VistaOpen SourceRFID TechnologySCO's Linux FightSarbanes-Oxley ActSpamVoice Over IPWi-FiWindows Meta File VulnerabilityWindows XP Service Pack 3 IT Careers 2010 Four years from now, the IT field will be a vastly different place. Will you be ready? More Special Reports Premier 100 IT Leaders 2007 Best in Class2006 Computerworld Horizon Awards2006 Premier 100 IT Leaders2006 Salary Survey2007 Best Places to Work in IT2007 IT Forecast2007 Premier 100 IT Leaders40 Years of ComputerworldASPs, Take TwoBest Places to Work in IT 2003Best Places to Work in IT 2004Best Places to Work in IT 2005Best Places to Work in IT 2006Business Intelligence Home RunsBusiness Intelligence: Smarter BIBusiness Intelligence: The Future of BICRM Goes VerticalCRM: Sober CRMCareer Planning Guide 2005Careers: IT Profession 2010Computerworld Horizon Awards 2005Data Management: Mining for GemsData Management: Taming Data ChaosDevelopment: Hard-Workin' Web SitesDevelopment: New Tools New ChoicesDevelopment: The New World of Application DevelopmentDevelopment: The Web Services TsunamiDevelopment: Web Services HurdlesDisaster Recovery: Preparing for the WorstE-commerce Grows UpE-mail/Groupware: Big DecisionsFaces of Mobile ITForecast 2006Global MobileHardware: Multiple Cores, Multiple ChallengesHardware: On-Demand Un-HypedHardware: The Shape of Things to ComeHorizon Awards: 10 Cool Cutting Edge TechnologiesIT Management: Guide to Managing VendorsIT Management: Navigating Global ITIT Management: Recovery AheadIT Management: The Future of ITIT Management: The Resourceful Project ManagerInnovative Technology Awards 2004Management: Reinventing ITMicrosoft in TransitionMobile/Wireless Leaders and LaggardsMobile/Wireless: The Untethered WorkerMobile/Wireless: Tiny Gadgets, Huge CostsNetwork Management: Taking ControlNetworking: Turbulence Ahead!Networking: VoIP Goes MainstreamOperating Systems: In the Slow LaneOperating Systems: Linux Goes GlobalOperating Systems: Should You Nix Unix?Outsourcing: Offshore Buyer's GuideOutsourcing: Outsourcing DangersPremier 100 IT Leaders 2004 Best in ClassPremier 100 IT Leaders 2005 Best in ClassROI: Do the Math!Salary Survey 2003Salary Survey 2004Salary Survey 2005Security Action PlanSecurity: Compliance HeadachesSecurity: Proactive SecuritySecurity: Risk and RewardSecurity: Tips From Security ProsSouped-up SecurityStorage: Battling ComplexityStorage: Cheap & Secure Data StoresStorage: Stretching Your Storage DollarsStorage: The Lean Storage MachineStorage: The New Rules of StorageStorage: The Ultimate Backup GuideSupply Chain: Missing LinksSupply Chain: RFID Reality CheckThe Business of SecurityWeb 2.0 SecurityWireless: Wireless At Work All Zones Application Performance Zone Business Continuity Zone Data Center Management Zone Enterprise-Class Security Zone The File Data Management Zone Grid Computing on Windows Zone Security Management Zone ITIL Best Practices Zone The SAS Zone Storage Virtualization Zone Business Intelligence and Analytics Zone See your link here

Why SaaS is Vital to Email and Web Security Why SaaS is Vital to Email and Web Security Download this webcast, free, compilments of Webroot Software Go to the webcast  Managing Mobile Data with Endpoint Security for Laptops Download this white paper now, compliments of Computerworld and Absolute Software. (Source: Absolute Software) A NetworkWorld survey of IT professionals found that only 1 in 100 employees consistently follow data security policy. This paper outlines endpoint security for laptops that restricts data access beyond encryption to safeguard against insider threats and user error. Read this whitepaper to learn lessons from recent data breaches, limitations of traditional data security, and how to remotely wipe out data and monitor computers that go off the network. Download this executive briefing  Top 10 Reasons to Upgrade Get this white paper now! (Source: Symantec) Symantec Backup Exec 12 and Backup Exec System Recovery 8 deliver industry leading Windows data protection and system recovery. Download this whitepaper to find out the top reasons to upgrade and how to get continuous data protection and complete system recovery. Download this white paper  White Papers Read up on the latest ideas and technologies from companies that sell hardware, software and services. Deploying Virtualized NetWare on Linux Whitepaper Toward More Flexible, Next-Generation Collaboration Solutions Driving Business Success Through Workgroup Choice and Flexibility View more whitepapers

• Google gives away home-cooked Web application security scanner
• HP eyes move of support facilities out of Colorado Springs
• Microsoft trumpets security additions in upcoming IE8
• More top stories 

Try Fluke Networks' EtherScope Analyzer on your network FREE Quickly solve the wide range of problems you encounter - 10, 100 and Gigabit, twisted pair and optical fiber, LAN or wireless LAN. The EtherScope Analyzer combines the essential tools you need to monitor network traffic and switch interfaces, discover devices, networks, VLANs, access points, mobile clients and more. See the power of this portable network analyzer on your network. Request free trial now *Terms and conditions: Evaluation units are available only for a limited time and will be scheduled on a first-come first-served basis. Not available in all geographies. Limited quantities available; customers requesting evaluation units may be waitlisted for the next available unit. It will be at the discretion of Fluke Networks to accept or decline requests for this free evaluation.