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CIRC INFORMATION BULLETIN

Q-036: Solaris Management Console Enables TRACE HTTP by Default

[Sun Alert ID: 102016]

October 31, 2005 18:00 GMT
[REVISED 29 Nov 2005]
[REVISED 27 Dec 2005]
PROBLEM: A security vulnerability was discovered in Solaris Management Console (smc(1M)), a graphical user interface that provides access to Solaris system administration tools which includes a web server that runs on port 898.
PLATFORM: SPARC Platform
  * Solaris 8
  * Solaris 9 without patch 116807-02
  * Solaris 10 without patch 121308-01
x86 Platform
  * Solaris 8
  * Solaris 9 without patch 116808-02
  * Solaris 10 without patch 121309-01
DAMAGE: The SMC web server enables the HTTP TRACE method by default which may allow a local or remote unprivileged user the ability to access sensitive information, such as cookies or authentication data, contained in the HTTP headers of an HTTP TRACE request.
SOLUTION: Apply the available patch.
VULNERABILITY
ASSESSMENT:		 The risk is LOW. Exploiting the vulnerability leads to an information leak.
LINKS:  
  CIRC BULLETIN: http://www.doecirc.energy.gov/bulletins/Q-036.shtml
  ORIGINAL BULLETIN: http://www.sunsolve.sun.com/search/document.do?assetkey=1-26-102016-1&searchclause=102016 
REVISION HISTORY:
11/29/05 - updated to include changes to Sun Alert ID: 102016 that modified
           Contributing Factors and Resolution section.
12/27/05 - updated to include changes to Sun Alert ID: 102016 that modified
           State to "Resolved" and the Contributing Factors and Resolution section.


[***** Start Sun Alert ID: 102016 *****]
Document Audience: PUBLIC
Document ID: 102016
Title: The Solaris Management Console (SMC) Enables TRACE HTTP by Default
Copyright Notice: Copyright © 2005 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Update Date: Fri Dec 23 00:00:00 MST 2005
Status Issued

Description Top
Sun(sm) Alert Notification

1. Impact

The Solaris Management Console (smc(1M)) is a graphical user interface that provides access to Solaris system administration tools which includes a web server that runs on port 898. This SMC web server enables the HTTP TRACE method by default which may allow a local or remote unprivileged user the ability to access sensitive information, such as cookies or authentication data, contained in the HTTP headers of an HTTP TRACE request.

This issue is described in the CERT Vulnerability VU#867593 (see http://www.kb.cert.org/vuls/id/867593).

Note: The HTTP TRACE method asks a web server to echo the contents of the request back to the client for debugging purposes. The HTTP TRACE method is described in the HTTP 1.1 standard (RFC 2616, section 9.8). The TRACE method is enabled by default in Solaris Management Console (SMC) webserver.

2. Contributing Factors

This issue can occur in the following releases:

SPARC Platform

x86 Platform

The described issue only occurs if the Solaris Management Console (smc(1M)) is running on the system.

This can be determined by running the following command as the "root" user:

    # /etc/init.d/init.wbem status
    Solaris Management Console server not running on port 898

    # /etc/init.d/init.wbem status
    Solaris Management Console server version 2.1.0 running on port 898

3. Symptoms

There are no predictable symptoms that would indicate the described issue has occurred.


Solution Summary Top

4. Relief/Workaround

The Trace method cannot be turned off. To workaround this issue until patches can be applied, sites may disable the Solaris Management Console (smc(1M)) by running the following command as the root user:

To stop the running of the smc(1M) server:

    # /etc/init.d/init.wbem stop

To prevent the smc(1M) server from starting upon successive reboots:

    # mv /etc/rc2.d/S90wbem /etc/rc2.d/disabled-S90wbem

 


5. Resolution

This issue is addressed in the following releases:

SPARC Platform

x86 Platform


Change History

28-Nov-2005:
  • Updated Contributing Factors and Resolution sections
23-Dec-2005:
  • State: Resolved
  • Updated Contributing Factors and Relief/Workaround sections

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Copyright 2000-2005 Sun Microsystems, Inc., 4150 Network Circle, Santa Clara, CA 95054 U.S.A. All rights reserved.

 


[***** End Sun Alert ID: 102016 *****]
CIRC wishes to acknowledge the contributions of Sun Microsystems for the information contained in this bulletin.
DOE-CIRC can be contacted at: 
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    E-mail:          doecirc@doecirc.energy.gov
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