Symantec Vulnerability Research

http://www.symantec.com/research

Security Advisory

Advisory ID  : SYMSA-2006-002

Advisory Name: McAfee WebShield SMTP Format String Vulnerability

Release Date : 04-03-2005

Application  : McAfee WebShield SMTP 4.5 MR1a

Platform     : Microsoft Windows

Severity     : System access / remotely exploitable

Author       : Ollie Whitehouse / ollie_whitehouse (at) symantec (dot) com [email concealed]

Vendor status: Vendor verified, patch available.

CVE Number   : CVE-2006-0559

Reference    : http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/16742

Overview:

There exists a format string vulnerability within the

McAfee WebShield SMTP server which allows an attacker to execute

arbitrary code on the host computer via an unauthenticated

connection. With successful exploitation, an unauthenticated

attacker is able to obtain SYSTEM access.

Details:

A format string vulnerability exists in the function which handles

the construction of the bounce messages for non-existent domains.

On the way into the mail system this causes no problems (correct

usage of the printf() family of functions).  However, when the

file ??(13digitfilename).rcp?? is picked up from the OUT directory

to construct the bounce message, a format string in the original

destination address for the mail will trigger the vulnerability.

Successful exploitation can lead to remote code execution.

Vendor Response:

The above vulnerability was addressed via a patch (P0803) that was

released in August 2003 for Webshield SMTP 4.5 MR1a.  This

vulnerability has also been fixed in the latest release of the

product, Webshield SMTP 4.5 MR2.

Licensed and evaluation versions of Webshield SMTP 4.5 MR2 are

available for customer download from the McAfee website at

http://www.mcafeesecurity.com/us/downloads/default.asp

If there are any further questions about this statement, please

contact McAfee support.

http://www.mcafeesecurity.com/us/support/technical_support/

Recommendation:

Apply the patch supplied by the vendor.

Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) Information:

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project has assigned

the following names to these issues.  These are candidates for

inclusion in the CVE list (http://cve.mitre.org), which standardizes

names for security problems.

CVE-2006-0559

-------Symantec Consulting Services Advisory Information-------

For questions about this advisory, or to report an error:

cs_advisories (at) symantec (dot) com [email concealed]

For details on Symantec's Vulnerability Reporting Policy:

http://www.symantec.com/research/Symantec-Responsible-Disclosure.pdf

Symantec Vulnerability Research Advisory Archive:

http://www.symantec.com/research/

Symantec Vulnerability Research Advisory PGP Key:

http://www.symantec.com/research/Symantec_Consulting_Services_Advisories
_PGP.asc

-------------Symantec Product Advisory Information-------------

To Report a Security Vulnerability in a Symantec Product:

secure (at) symantec (dot) com [email concealed]

For general information on Symantec's Product Vulnerability

reporting and response:

http://www.symantec.com/security/

Symantec Product Advisory Archive:

http://www.symantec.com/avcenter/security/SymantecAdvisories.html

Symantec Product Advisory PGP Key:

http://www.symantec.com/security/Symantec-Vulnerability-Management-Key.a
sc

---------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright (c) 2006 by Symantec Corp.

Permission to redistribute this alert electronically is granted

as long as it is not edited in any way unless authorized by

Symantec Consulting Services. Reprinting the whole or part of

this alert in any medium other than electronically requires

permission from cs_advisories (at) symantec (dot) com. [email concealed]

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.

Symantec, Symantec products, and Symantec Consulting Services are

registered trademarks of Symantec Corp. and/or affiliated companies

in the United States and other countries. All other registered and

unregistered trademarks represented in this document are the sole

property of their respective companies/owners.