Mac OS X vulnerability reported

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

Uh oh... looks like the Mac ain't perfect after all......
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Buffer overflow in Mac OS X
Oxygen3 24h-365d, by Panda Software (http://www.pandasoftware.com)

Madrid, December 17 2003 - Security Corporation has reported a vulnerability affecting Mac OS X 10.3.1 which could allow local users to escalate privileges.

This security problem stems from an error in the validation of parameters in the "cd9660.util" utility. This situation could be exploited to cause a buffer overflow, by entering a long value as a parameter.

If an attacker were to successfully exploit the vulnerability, they could execute arbitrary code with root privileges. The recommended solution is to eliminate the suid bit(*).

(*) Bit activated by adding 4000 to the octal representation of the file permissions. When it is activated, it indicates that all those who run the file will have , while it is run, privileges of the creator (e.g. root). When a file has a buffer overflow vulnerability this configuration can give maximum system privileges.

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[kutastha]

1. The current software is 10.3.2

Any news on if this affects that version?

[dwckabal]

2. OS X is far from perfect

but at least it doesn't facilitate remote system exploitation through a word processor's clip art function!

[Kellanved]

3. more links

Original Buqtraq post:
http://www.securityfocus.com/archive/1/347578


But there are more issues:
The Finder doesn't check permissions, if the arrow keys are used instead of the mouse. The UNIX permissions work fine; the problem is with the hidden/forbidden MacOS files.

Macs are very trustful concerning other Users/Computers in the same network; Apple actually gave a "it's not a bug, it's a feature" reply to that issue, stating that it is Apple's philosophy to consider LANs secure.
http://www.carrel.org/dhcp-vuln.html
...

[frylock]

4. it's not a bug, it's a feature..

That is rich!!

[dani]

6. some of that is bogus

the inaccuracies about OSX and DHCP are answered here:
http://www.bynkii.com/networking/archives/000099.html

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

5. But, unlike Micr$loth, there is a fix...