Compaq Security Advisory

Compaq web-enabled management software security vulnerability. Reference SSRT0705

Summary

Compaq continues to take a serious approach to the quality and security of all its software products and makes every effort to address issues and provide solutions in a timely manner. In line with this commitment, Compaq is responding to recent concerns on a potential security vulnerability in the web-enabled Compaq management software. This vulnerability has the potential to enable unauthorized users to execute code at an administrator level through the exploitation of a buffer overflow.

Scope of the problem

This Security Advisory applies to all web-enabled Compaq management software. A list of affected software versions is included at the end of this Advisory.

The web component of Compaq web-enabled management software provides HTTP services to allow management information to be accessible through a web browser. Web-enabled management software is provided for the majority of the operating systems that Compaq supports on its Intel and Alpha server and client systems. These operating systems include Microsoft Windows 9x, NT and 2000, NetWare, SCO Open Server, SCO UnixWare 7, RedHat 6.2 and 7.0, Tru64Unix and OpenVMS. Web-enabled management software is also supported for Compaq storage products.

Unaffected Software Versions

The web-enabled component of the Remote Insight Lights-out Edition board is NOT affected. Also unaffected are the downloadable integration modules that Compaq provides to enhance the management of Compaq platforms from within enterprise management consoles such as CA Unicenter TNG, Tivoli Enterprise, Tivoli NetView and HP OpenView.

What Compaq is doing

Compaq is currently completing the testing and release of fixes for the affected software. In addition to releasing new versions of the software, Compaq will also release software patches to update the web-enabled component of the affected software for customers who do not want to upgrade their systems to the latest version.

Two patches are available for download now from ftp://ftp.compaq.com/pub/softpaq/sp14001-14500/

Softpaq SP14487 fixes the problem for affected versions of Compaq Foundation Agents for Windows Servers, Compaq Survey for Windows, Compaq Power Manager, Compaq Availability Agents and Compaq Intelligent Cluster Administrator. This patch also fixes the problem for the SNMP and DMI agents installed with Compaq Insight Manager XE Version 2.0 and 2.1.

Softpaq SP14488 fixes the problem for affected versions of the Compaq Foundation Agents for NetWare servers.

New versions of the following software will be made available shortly:

For Tru64 UNIX a new version of the Agents, packaged in the form of a set ld tar kit, is available for download from the following support site: http://ftp.support.compaq.com/public/unix/

The tar file MUPssrt0705u_cpqim.tar along with its Readme file MUPssrt0705_cpqim.Readme can be found under each of the impacted unix directories which include: 4.0f, 4.0g, 5.0, 5.0a, and 5.1. The Readme file provides the installation steps for the patch kit.

Compaq OpenVMS engineering has provided a fix for this potential problem for all affected versions of the software.The required image can be obtained from the Compaq Management Agentsfor OpenVMS web site at the following URL (in the Updates section at the bottom of the page):
http://www.openvms.compaq.com/openvms/products/mgmt_agents/index.html

This advisory will be updated as needed to communicate availability and plans for new versions of all the affected software.

What Customers Should Do

Determine which systems are running Compaq web-enabled agents or utilities. There are three methods suggested. Note that the lists generated by Methods 2 and 3, while helpful, may not be exhaustive lists of the systems with web agents and utilities on your network. The lists will include only those systems that are being managed either explicitly or because they have been discovered.

Method 1
Point a web browser at the system and key in
http://[IP_ADDRESS]:2301 or http://[machine_name]:2301.
This will bring up the device home page for the server if it is running web-enabled management software, and display a list of the components.

Method 2
If you are using Compaq Insight Manager XE, you can get a list of systems running the web agents by defining a Query to return a list of systems with web agents. Login to your Compaq Insight Manager XE system and create a new Query. Select the "Devices with Web Agent" criteria. Further, select all of the available products on the Criteria Configuration screen. Save the Query and execute it. The list of devices will be all those with web agents.

Method 3
If you are using the Compaq Insight Manager Windows 32 console, you can get a list of systems running the web agents by starting Compaq Insight Manager and selecting the "Web Device List" button on the toolbar. This will display a list of systems being managed by Compaq Insight Manager and additionally will have underlined as hyperlinks the systems on which the web agents are present and enabled. To print out a list of only the web devices select the "Web Devices" hyperlink in the left column and only web devices will be shown. Simply print this page from your browser.

If for any reason you cannot wait until the fix is released, Compaq recommends that you temporarily disable the web component of Compaq management software on any systems where you have particular concerns. Follow the procedures outlined at the end of this advisory.

Compaq has always advised that web-enabled agents and utilities are deployed only in private networks and are not used on the Internet or on systems outside the bounds of a firewall. You should also verify that you have disallowed access to non-essential IP ports on your firewall or proxy protecting your corporate network from the Internet. The disabling of such ports, which include port 2301 (device management port) and port 280 (Compaq Insight Manager XE port), is part of a sound security policy for your network.

Updated software will be made available on the web through the system software download site (http://www.compaq.com/support/files/server/us/index.html) and will also be proactively delivered directly to customers who have installed Compaq ActiveUpdate (http://www.compaq.com/activeupdate). Compaq recommends that you register for the ActiveUpdate service if you have not already done so.

Obtaining Support on this Issue

Your normal process for obtaining support on Compaq products should be pursued for the country that you are in. If you do not have an already established support process, you may find information about support by visiting the Compaq Web site for your country. You can find that Web site by picking your country from the list at http://www.compaq.com/worldwide/.

You may also find a support number for your locale from the table at http://www.compaq.com/corporate/overview/world_offices.html.

1. Identify if you have an affected release.
2. Obtain the appropriate Softpaq when it is available.
3. Apply and run the Softpaq.

Compaq support personnel are aware of the issues and the fixes and are well versed in Compaq systems management products.

Version/Platform/Operating System Matrix

Disabling the Web-Enabled Agents

If you are unable to wait for the fix to become available, you can use the following procedures to disable the web component of the agents. For those cases where it is not possible to disable only the web component, we have provided instructions for disabling the entire agent or utility.

Microsoft Windows Servers
Web-based management is enabled, by default, when you install the Compaq Server Management Agents for Windows NT. Perform the following steps to disable web-based management.

1. From the START menu, select SETTINGS, the CONTROL PANEL.
2. From the CONTROL PANEL, select and run the SERVICES applet.
3. Select INSIGHT WEB AGENT from the list of services.
4. If it is running, click the button marked STOP
5. To prevent it from automatically starting again, click STARTUP and then select MANUAL.
6. Click OK.
7. Click CLOSE.
This will stop the agent and prevent them from starting automatically. SNMP management is still possible.

NetWare Server Agents
If you enabled Web-Based Management when you installed the Compaq Management Agents for NetWare, and later would like to disable it, perform the following steps from the NetWare server console:

1. LOAD CPQAGIN
2. Select the option "Configure Existing NetWare Agents"
3. Select the line that mentions the load of CPQWEBAG and select NO
4. Save changes and exit out of CPQAGIN.
This prevents the web-enabled agents from loading. SNMP management is still possible.

Linux Server Agents

1. To stop running Web Agent
- Log in as "root"
- Run "/etc/rc.d/init.d/cmafdtn stop cmawebd" command.
2. To disable Web Agent so it will not be started during reboot or runlevel changes
- Log in as "root"
- Edit "/etc/rc.d/init.d/cmafdtn" file (using vi or other editors) and remove "cmawebd" from following line
PNAMES="cmafdtnpeerd cmahostd cmathreshd cmawebd"

SCO UnixWare 7 Agents (UnixWare 2 agents are NOT Web-Enabled)

1. To stop running Web Agent
- Log in as "root"
- Run "sh /etc/init.d/cmaweb stop" command.
2. To disable Web Agent so it will not be started during reboot or entering multi-user mode
- Log in as "root"
- Run "rm /etc/rc2.d/[SK]*cmaweb" command.

SCO OpenServer Agents

1. To stop running Web Agent
- Log in as "root"
- Run "sh /etc/cmaweb stop" command.
2. To disable Web Agent so it will not be started during reboot or entering multi-user mode
- Log in as "root"
- Run "rm /etc/rc2.d/[SK]*cmaweb" command.

Survey for Windows and Survey for NetWare
It is not possible to disable only the web-component of Survey. Follow the instructions below to disable the full service:

Survey for Windows
From the command prompt, type the following command: %SystemDrive%\COMPAQ\SURVEY\SURVEY-U. . This will unload the Survey service and prevent it from starting up on the next reboot

Survey for NetWare
To unload Survey for Netware from the console screen, type the following command: UNLOAD SURVEY During the default Survey install, Survey is automatically started by adding the line "load SURVEY -w10 -cWed.12,7 " to the AUTOEXEC.NCF. To prevent Survey from automatically starting next time the server is restarted, remove that line.

System Healthcheck

Change to the SHC bin directory ( e.g. cd%systemdrive%\compaq\shc\bin)
First, stop the service by typing "net stop cpqshc".
Next, remove the service by typing "shcsvc -remove".
Note that the command line interface to SHC will continue to work

Compaq Power Agents

1. To stop running Web Agent
   - From the Windows Control Panel, double-click "Services"
   - In the Services dialog list box, click on "Compaq Power Management Web Agent"
   - Click the "Stop" button to stop the Agent
   
2. To prevent the service from being restarted.
   - Click on the "Startup..." button and choose "Disabled"; click "OK".

OpenVMS Management Agents

1. To stop running Web Agent
   - Log into the system account
   - For V1.0 and V2.0 $@sys$specific:[wbem]stop_webagents
   - For V2.1 $@sys$specific:[wbem]wbem$shutdown

Compaq Management Agents and Tools for Servers for SCO UnixWare 7 NonStop Clusters

1. To stop running Web Agent
   - Login as "root".
   - Exexcute the following two command lines.
      -execute `onall /etc/init.d/cmaweb stop`
      -`chmod 777 /etc/init.d/cmaweb 000`

Tru64 UNIX Management Agents

1. To stop running Web Agent
   - Log in as "root"
   - Execute "/sbin/init.d/insightd stop" command.
   
2. To disable the Web Agents so they will not be started during reboot or entering multi-user mode
   - Log in as "root"
   - On Tru64 UNIX V4.0f and V4.0g, execute "rm /sbin/rc2.d/*insightd"
   - On Tru64 UNIX V5.0 and later, execute the command: "/usr/sbin/rcmgr set INSIGHTD_CONF -1
   
3. To enable the Web Agents again once the Patch Kit has been installed - Log in as "root"
   - On Tru64 UNIX V4.0f and V4.0g
   - execute "ln -s /sbin/init.d/insightd/sbin/rc2.d/Kxxinsightd"
   where xx is any sequence Nb after the one used for snmpd
   - On Tru64 UNIX V5.0 and later, execute the command: "/usr/sbin/rcmgr set INSIGHTD_CONF 1"

Desktop and Portable web-enabled agents
To remove the web-enabled components from the desktop and portables agents, follow the instructions below to uninstall the agents using the add/remove feature in Windows systems, then reinstall the agents without the DMI web components

Uninstalling Web-enabled Desktop Agent from a Windows 9x/NT system

1. From the START menu, select SETTINGS, then CONTROL PANEL.
2. From the CONTROL PANEL, select ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS
3. In the INSTALL/UNINSTALL tab, select "Compaq Insight Management Web Agent"
4. Click ADD/REMOVE button to remove the agent.


For desktops and workstations do not check "DMI Web Component" during the installation

To install the Compaq Management Agents for portables without web support, select "custom" and then select "DMI options". Click on the "Change" button. Remove the check marks for "Compaq DMI Web Agent" and "Compaq DMI Web Viewer".

Uninstalling Web-enabled Agent from Tru64 UNIX
The following procedure must be performed when the system is up and running:

1. Login as root
2. Enter the following command at the '#' prompt: /sbin/init.d/insightd stop