GLSA 200501-22: poppassd_pam: Unauthorized password changing

http://security.gentoo.org/

Severity:	high
Title:	poppassd_pam: Unauthorized password changing
Date:	01/11/2005
Bugs:	#75820
ID:	200501-22

Synopsis

poppassd_pam allows anyone to change any user's password without authenticating the user first.

Background

poppassd_pam is a PAM-enabled server for changing system passwords that can be used to change POP server passwords.

Affected packages

Package	Vulnerable	Unaffected	Architecture(s)
net-mail/poppassd_ceti	<= 1.0	>= 1.8.4	All supported architectures
net-mail/poppassd_pam	<= 1.0		All supported architectures

Description

Gentoo Linux developer Marcus Hanwell discovered that poppassd_pam did not check that the old password was valid before changing passwords. Our investigation revealed that poppassd_pam did not call pam_authenticate before calling pam_chauthtok.

Impact

A remote attacker could change the system password of any user, including root. This leads to a complete compromise of the POP accounts, and may also lead to a complete root compromise of the affected server, if it also provides shell access authenticated using system passwords.

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All poppassd_pam users should migrate to the new package called poppassd_ceti:

    # emerge --sync
    # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=net-mail/poppassd_ceti-1.8.4"

Note: Portage will automatically replace the poppassd_pam package by the poppassd_ceti package.

References

CAN-2005-0002

Availability

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website: http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200501-22.xml

Concerns?

Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at https://bugs.gentoo.org.