receive process (eg. due to ACL delays) versus a short SOA value could
surprise.
+HS/05 Handle trailing backslash gracefully. (CVE-2019-15846)
+
Exim version 4.92
-----------------
--- /dev/null
+CVE ID: CVE-2019-15846
+Date: 2019-09-02 (CVE assigned)
+Credits: Zerons <sironhide0null@gmail.com> for the initial report
+ Qualys https://www.qualys.com/ for the analysis
+Version(s): all versions up to and including 4.92.1
+Issue: A local or remote attacker can execute programs with root
+ privileges.
+
+Conditions to be vulnerable
+===========================
+
+If your Exim server accepts TLS connections, it is vulnerable. This does
+not depend on the TLS libray, so both, GnuTLS and OpenSSL are affected.
+
+Details
+=======
+
+The vulnerability is exploitable by sending a SNI ending in a
+backslash-null sequence during the initial TLS handshake. The exploit
+exists as a POC. For more details see the document qualys.mbx
+
+Mitigation
+==========
+
+Do not offer TLS. (This mitigation is not recommended.)
+
+Fix
+===
+
+Download and build a fixed version:
+
+ Tarballs: https://ftp.exim.org/pub/exim/exim4/
+ Git: https://github.com/Exim/exim.git
+ - tag exim-4.92.2
+ - branch exim-4.92.2+fixes
+
+The tagged commit is the officially released version. The +fixes branch
+isn't officially maintained, but contains the security fix *and* useful
+fixes.
+
+If you can't install the above versions, ask your package maintainer for
+a version containing the backported fix. On request and depending on our
+resources we will support you in backporting the fix. (Please note,
+the Exim project officially doesn't support versions prior the current
+stable version.)
--- /dev/null
+From cve-request@mitre.org Mon Sep 2 18:12:21 2019
+Return-Path: <cve-request@mitre.org>
+Authentication-Results: mx.net.schlittermann.de; iprev=pass
+ (smtpvbsrv1.mitre.org) smtp.remote-ip=198.49.146.234; spf=pass
+ smtp.mailfrom=mitre.org; dkim=pass header.d=mitre.org header.s=selector1
+ header.a=rsa-sha256; dmarc=pass header.from=mitre.org
+From: cve-request@mitre.org
+To: hs@schlittermann.de
+Cc: cve-request@mitre.org
+Subject: Re: [scr749683] one CVE
+Date: Mon, 2 Sep 2019 12:12:12 -0400 (EDT)
+MIME-Version: 1.0
+Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
+Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8
+Status: RO
+
+> [Suggested description]
+> The SMTP Delivery process in Exim 4.92.1 has a Buffer Overflow.
+> In the default runtime configuration, this is exploitable with crafted
+> Server Name Indication (SNI) data during a TLS negotiation. In other
+> configurations, it is exploitable with a crafted client TLS certificate.
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Additional Information]
+> It's the first CVE I request, so if there is anything missing, please tell me
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Vulnerability Type]
+> Buffer Overflow
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Vendor of Product]
+> Exim Development Team
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Affected Product Code Base]
+> Exim - 4.92.1
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Affected Component]
+> SMTP Delivery process
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Attack Type]
+> Remote
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Impact Code execution]
+> true
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Attack Vectors]
+> To exploit the vulnerability the attacker needs a crafted client TLS
+> certificate or a crafted SNI. While the first attack vector needs a
+> non-default runtime configuration, the latter one should work with the
+> default runtime config.
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Discoverer]
+> zerons zerons <sironhide0null@gmail.com>
+>
+> ------------------------------------------
+>
+> [Reference]
+> http://exim.org/static/doc/security/CVE-2019-15846.txt
+
+Use CVE-2019-15846.
+
+
+--
+CVE Assignment Team
+M/S M300, 202 Burlington Road, Bedford, MA 01730 USA
+[ A PGP key is available for encrypted communications at
+ http://cve.mitre.org/cve/request_id.html ]
+
--- /dev/null
+To: distros@vs.openwall.org, exim-maintainers@exim.org
+From: [ do not use a dmarc protected sender ]
+
+** EMBARGO *** This information is not public yet.
+
+CVE ID: CVE-2019-15846
+Credits: Zerons <sironhide0null@gmail.com>, Qualys
+Version(s): all versions up to and including 4.92.1
+Issue: The SMTP Delivery process in all versions up to and
+ including Exim 4.92.1 has a Buffer Overflow. In the default
+ runtime configuration, this is exploitable with crafted Server
+ Name Indication (SNI) data during a TLS negotiation. In other
+ configurations, it is exploitable with a crafted client TLS certificate.
+Details: doc/doc-txt/cve-2019-15846 in the downloaded source tree
+
+Contact: security@exim.org
+
+Proposed Timeline
+=================
+
+2019-09-03:
+ - This notice to distros@vs.openwall.org and exim-maintainers@exim.org
+ - Open limited access to our security Git repo. See below.
+
+2019-09-04:
+ - Heads-up notice to oss-security@lists.openwall.com,
+ exim-users@exim.org, and exim-announce@exim.org
+ about the upcoming security release
+
+2019-09-06 10:00 UTC:
+ - Coordinated relase date
+ - Publish the patches in our official and public Git repositories
+ and the packages on our FTP/HTTP(S) server.
+
+Downloads
+=========
+
+The downloads mentioned below are accessible only for a limited set of SSH
+keys. At CRD they will be mirrored to the public repositories.
+(Note: the repo names changed from the recently used ones.)
+
+For release tarballs (exim-4.92.2):
+
+ git clone --depth 1 ssh://git@git.exim.org/exim-packages-security
+
+The package files are signed with my GPG key.
+
+For the full Git repo:
+
+ git clone ssh://git@exim.org/exim-security
+ - tag exim-4.92.2
+ - branch exim-4.92.2+fixes
+
+The tagged commit is the officially maintained version. The tag is signed
+with my GPG key. The +fixes branch isn't officially maintained, but
+contains useful patches *and* the security fix. The relevant commit
+is signed with my GPG key.
+
+If you need help backporting the patch, please contact us directly.
--- /dev/null
+To: oss-security@lists.openwall.com, exim-users@exim.org,
+ exim-announce@exim.org
+From: [ do not use a dmarc protected sender ]
+
+*** Note: EMBARGO is still in effect ***
+*** Distros must not publish any detail yet ***
+
+Head up! Security release ahead!
+
+CVE ID: CVE-2019-15846
+Version(s): up to and including 4.92.1
+Issue: A local or remote attacker can execute programs with root
+ privileges.
+Details: Will be made public at CRD.
+
+Coordinated Release Date (CRD) for Exim 4.92.2: 2019-09-06 10:00 UTC
+
+Contact: security@exim.org
+
+Proposed Timeline
+=================
+
+2019-09-03:
+ - initial notification to distros@openwall.org and
+ exim-maintainers@exim.org
+
+2019-09-04: <-- NOW
+ - This Heads-up notice to oss-security@lists.openwall.com,
+ exim-users@exim.org, and exim-announce@exim.org
+
+2019-09-06 10:00 UTC:
+ - Coordinated relase date
+ - Publish the patches in our official and public Git repositories
+ and the packages on our FTP server.
+
+Downloads available starting at CRD
+====================================
+
+The downloads are not yet available. They will be made available
+at the above mentioned CRD.
+
+Release tarballs (exim-4.92.2):
+
+ https://ftp.exim.org/pub/exim/exim4/
+
+The package files are signed with my GPG key.
+
+The full Git repo:
+
+ https://git.exim.org/exim.git
+ https://github.com/Exim/exim [mirror of the above]
+ - tag exim-4.92.2
+ - branch exim-4.92.2+fixes
+
+The tagged commit is the officially released version. The tag is signed
+with my GPG key. The +fixes branch isn't officially maintained, but
+contains useful patches *and* the security fix. The relevant commit is
+signed with my GPG key. The old exim-4.92.1+fixes branch is being functionally
+replaced by the new exim-4.92.2+fixes branch.
--- /dev/null
+To: exim-users@exim.org, exim-announce@exim.org, exim-maintainers@exim.org
+From: [ do not use a dmarc protected sender ]
+
+CVE ID: CVE-2019-15846
+Credits: Zerons <sironhide0null@gmail.com>, Qualys
+Version(s): all versions up to and including 4.92.1
+Issue: The SMTP Delivery process in all versions up to and
+ including Exim 4.92.1 has a Buffer Overflow. In the default
+ runtime configuration, this is exploitable with crafted Server
+ Name Indication (SNI) data during a TLS negotiation. In other
+ configurations, it is exploitable with a crafted client TLS certificate.
+Details: doc/doc-txt/cve-2019-15846 in the downloaded source tree
+
+Coordinated Release Date (CRD) for Exim 4.92.2:
+ 2019-09-06 10:00 UTC
+
+Contact: security@exim.org
+
+We released Exim 4.92.2. This is a security update based on 4.92.1.
+
+Downloads
+=========
+
+Starting at CRD the downloads will be available from the following
+sources:
+
+Release tarballs (exim-4.92.2):
+
+ https://ftp.exim.org/pub/exim/exim4/
+
+The package files are signed with my GPG key.
+
+The full Git repo:
+
+ https://git.exim.org/exim.git
+ https://github.com/Exim/exim [mirror of the above]
+ - tag exim-4.92.2
+ - branch exim-4.92.2+fixes
+
+The tagged commit is the officially released version. The tag is signed
+with my GPG key. The +fixes branch isn't officially maintained, but
+contains useful patches *and* the security fix. The relevant commit is
+signed with my GPG key. The old exim-4.92.1+fixes branch is being functionally
+replaced by the new exim-4.92.2+fixes branch.
--- /dev/null
+From qsa@qualys.com Wed Aug 14 01:29:25 CEST 2019
+Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2019 23:29:25 +0000
+From: Qualys Security Advisory <qsa@qualys.com>
+To: Heiko Schlittermann <hs@schlittermann.de>
+Subject: Re: Help evaluating a Bug in Exim MTA
+Return-Path: <qsa@qualys.com>
+Authentication-Results: mx.net.schlittermann.de; iprev=pass
+ (mx0b-001ca501.pphosted.com) smtp.remote-ip=148.163.158.195; spf=pass
+ smtp.mailfrom=qualys.com; dkim=pass header.d=qualys.com header.s=qualyscom
+ header.a=rsa-sha256; dkim=pass header.d=qualys.onmicrosoft.com
+ header.s=selector2-qualys-onmicrosoft-com header.a=rsa-sha256; dmarc=none
+ header.from=qualys.com
+Authentication-Results: ppops.net; spf=pass smtp.mailfrom=qsa@qualys.com
+Status: O
+Content-Length: 3899
+Lines: 80
+
+Hi Heiko,
+
+On Mon, Aug 12, 2019 at 11:56:12PM +0200, Heiko Schlittermann wrote:
+> So I'd say, you do not need to rush, but I'd like to close it sooner or
+> later in either manner.
+
+OK, below is our preliminary analysis. First:
+
+- From an attacker's point of view, most calls to
+ string_interpret_escape() are uninteresting. For example, nextitem()
+ in src/filter.c checks for buffer overflows, and string_dequote()
+ seems to process trusted strings only (strings from configuration
+ files).
+
+- On the other hand, string_unprinting() is very interesting:
+
+ - It is used in tls_import_cert() (for peercert, for example); but
+ certificates are in PEM format (i.e., base64) and hence unlikely to
+ contain the problematic backslash-null-byte sequence.
+
+ - It is used for peerdn and sni in src/spool_in.c; but peerdn is used
+ only if client certificates are processed by Exim, and this is not
+ the default (and although some sites use client-certificate
+ authentication, this is not very common, and hence not very
+ interesting for an attacker).
+
+ - In any case, as long as Exim supports and accepts tls connections,
+ an attacker can send an sni, and hence reach the problematic
+ string_unprinting() and string_interpret_escape() functions.
+
+Next question: is it possible to send an sni that is written to the
+spool header file and that ends with the problematic backslash-null-byte
+sequence? The answer is yes, because of what we believe is another bug,
+in string_printing(): the sni is written to the spool header file via
+string_printing(tls_in.sni), which escapes characters with backslash,
+but does *not* escape the escaping character itself (backslash),
+although it definitely should.
+
+This bug is what makes it possible to reach and trigger the bug in
+string_unprinting() and string_interpret_escape(), with an sni that ends
+in an unescaped backslash (followed by the terminating null byte).
+
+Last question: is this exploitable? The answer is, almost certainly, yes
+(and, because spool_read_header() runs as root, this means remote root).
+
+The sni is read from the spool via string_unprinting(string_copy()), and
+both string_unprinting() and string_copy() use store_get(): as a result,
+the destination buffer is allocated right after the source buffer, and
+the characters that are read out-of-bounds after the end of the source
+buffer are the first characters of the destination buffer, which are
+fully under the attacker's control. This results in a heap overflow
+whose length and contents are both under the attacker's control (we
+verified this). This is almost certainly exploitable.
+
+Our advice is to start the security-release process as soon as possible.
+We know it is very painful, but we are really confident that this bug is
+exploitable; we will try to confirm this in the next few days. We also
+believe that an Exim server must support and accept tls connections to
+be remotely exploitable (via sni).
+
+During our analysis of this bug, we probably spotted three other bugs:
+
+- The unescaped backslash in string_printing() that we mentioned above.
+
+- A bug in spool_read_header(): before the for (;;) loop, p is set to
+ big_buffer + 2; and inside the loop, big_buffer may be re-allocated;
+ but p is never updated. This can lead to a use-after-free (we did not
+ assess the security impact of this bug, though).
+
+- A bug in spool_write_header(): the return value of tls_export_cert()
+ is not checked (for ourcert, but more importantly, for peercert). If
+ this function fails (maybe because big_buffer is not big enough), then
+ big_buffer may be uninitialized or unterminated, and garbage may be
+ written to the spool file (we did not assess the security impact of
+ this bug, either).
+
+We are at your disposal for questions, comments, and further
+discussions. Thank you very much for reaching out! With best regards,
+
+--
+the Qualys Security Advisory team
+From qsa@qualys.com Mon Aug 19 00:23:03 CEST 2019
+Date: Sun, 18 Aug 2019 22:23:03 +0000
+From: Qualys Security Advisory <qsa@qualys.com>
+To: Heiko Schlittermann <hs@schlittermann.de>
+Subject: Re: Help evaluating a Bug in Exim MTA
+Return-Path: <qsa@qualys.com>
+Authentication-Results: mx.net.schlittermann.de; iprev=pass
+ (mx0a-001ca501.pphosted.com) smtp.remote-ip=148.163.156.198; spf=pass
+ smtp.mailfrom=qualys.com; dkim=pass header.d=qualys.com header.s=qualyscom
+ header.a=rsa-sha256; dkim=pass header.d=qualys.onmicrosoft.com
+ header.s=selector2-qualys-onmicrosoft-com header.a=rsa-sha256; dmarc=none
+ header.from=qualys.com
+Authentication-Results: ppops.net; spf=pass smtp.mailfrom=qsa@qualys.com
+Status: RO
+Content-Length: 2484
+Lines: 59
+
+Hi Heiko,
+
+On Tue, Aug 13, 2019 at 11:29:25PM +0000, Qualys Security Advisory wrote:
+> we are really confident that this bug is exploitable
+
+We can confirm that this bug is indeed exploitable: we wrote a
+rudimentary exploit that remotely obtains root privileges (because
+deliver_message() runs as root).
+
+Some general notes on this exploit:
+
+- To the best of our knowledge, the string_interpret_escape() bug
+ (backslash-null) is remotely exploitable if and only if Exim supports
+ and accepts TLS connections (because the only attack vector that we
+ know of is the string_unprinting() of SNI).
+
+- Both OpenSSL and GnuTLS installations are exploitable.
+
+- Our exploit is Linux-specific (because our heap-overflow exploitation
+ is specific to glibc's malloc implementation), but works on both i386
+ and amd64.
+
+Some detailed notes on this exploit:
+
+- First, we connect to Exim with TLS and send an SNI that ends with
+ backslash-null (this SNI is written unmodified to the spool because of
+ the unescaped-backslash bug in string_printing2()).
+
+- Second, we exploit the backslash-null bug in string_interpret_escape()
+ (our SNI is read from the spool and unescaped by string_unprinting()),
+ and we transform this out-of-bounds read into an out-of-bounds write
+ (a heap overflow).
+
+- Next, we use this heap overflow to overwrite the header of a free
+ malloc chunk, and increase its size to make it overlap with other,
+ already-allocated malloc chunks.
+
+- Last, we allocate this enlarged malloc chunk, and use it to overwrite
+ large parts of the heap (the already-allocated malloc chunks) with
+ arbitrary data:
+
+ . we overwrite the "id" string: it is used to build the message-log
+ file name, and therefore allows us to write to "/etc/passwd" (by
+ overwriting "id" with "/../../../../../../../../etc/passwd");
+
+ . we overwrite the "sender_address" string: it is written to the
+ message-log file, and therefore allows us to add a new user to
+ "/etc/passwd".
+
+Other exploitation methods may exist. We will not publish our exploit:
+it is a quick and dirty proof of concept, and we will not have the time
+to clean it anytime soon. However, please feel free to quote us on the
+exploitability of this bug (we do have a working exploit), and please
+feel free to quote all or parts of this email in your announcements.
+
+We are at your disposal for questions, comments, and further
+discussions. Thank you very much! With best regards,
+
+--
+the Qualys Security Advisory team
int ch;
const uschar *p = *pp;
ch = *(++p);
+if (ch == '\0') return **pp;
if (isdigit(ch) && ch != '8' && ch != '9')
{
ch -= '0';
Arguments:
pp points a pointer to the initiating "\" in the string;
the pointer gets updated to point to the final character
+ If the backslash is the last character in the string, it
+ is not interpreted.
Returns: the value of the character escape
*/
int ch;
const uschar *p = *pp;
ch = *(++p);
+if (ch == '\0') return **pp;
if (isdigit(ch) && ch != '8' && ch != '9')
{
ch -= '0';
g->ptr = p + count;
return g;
}
-
-
+
+
gstring *
string_cat(gstring *string, const uschar *s)
{
--- /dev/null
+1i2t1o-0000cD-CV-D
+--1566979804-eximdsn-1242325065
+Content-type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
+
+This message was created automatically by mail delivery software.
+
+A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its
+recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed:
+
+ root@schlittermann.de
+ (generated from root@muli.schlittermann.de)
+ host ssl.schlittermann.de [212.80.235.130]
+ SMTP error from remote mail server after pipelined MAIL FROM:<root@schlittermann.de> SIZE=1882:
+ 550 Authenticated connections only.
+
+--1566979804-eximdsn-1242325065
+Content-type: message/delivery-status
+
+Reporting-MTA: dns; muli.schlittermann.de
+
+Action: failed
+Final-Recipient: rfc822;root@schlittermann.de
+Status: 5.0.0
+Remote-MTA: dns; ssl.schlittermann.de
+Diagnostic-Code: smtp; 550 Authenticated connections only.
+
+--1566979804-eximdsn-1242325065
+Content-type: text/rfc822-headers
+
+Return-path: <root@schlittermann.de>
+Received: from root by muli.schlittermann.de with local (Exim 4.89)
+ (envelope-from <root@schlittermann.de>)
+ id 1i2t1l-0000c8-TF
+ for root@muli.schlittermann.de; Wed, 28 Aug 2019 10:10:02 +0200
+From: root@muli.schlittermann.de (Cron Daemon)
+To: root@muli.schlittermann.de
+Subject: Cron <root@muli> /root/dbsync
+MIME-Version: 1.0
+Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
+Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
+X-Cron-Env: <SHELL=/bin/sh>
+X-Cron-Env: <PATH=/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin>
+X-Cron-Env: <HOME=/root>
+X-Cron-Env: <LOGNAME=root>
+Message-Id: <E1i2t1l-0000c8-TF@muli.schlittermann.de>
+Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2019 10:10:01 +0200
+
+
+--1566979804-eximdsn-1242325065--
--- /dev/null
+1i2t1o-0000cD-CV-H
+Debian-exim 107 110
+<>
+1566979804 0
+-ident Debian-exim
+-received_protocol local
+-body_linecount 48
+-max_received_linelength 99
+-allow_unqualified_recipient
+-allow_unqualified_sender
+-frozen 1566979805
+-localerror
+-tls_peerdn example.com\
+XX
+1
+root@schlittermann.de
+
+156P Received: from Debian-exim by muli.schlittermann.de with local (Exim 4.89)
+ id 1i2t1o-0000cD-CV
+ for root@schlittermann.de; Wed, 28 Aug 2019 10:10:04 +0200
+043 X-Failed-Recipients: root@schlittermann.de
+029 Auto-Submitted: auto-replied
+065F From: Mail Delivery System <Mailer-Daemon@muli.schlittermann.de>
+026T To: root@schlittermann.de
+100 Content-Type: multipart/report; report-type=delivery-status; boundary=1566979804-eximdsn-1242325065
+018 MIME-Version: 1.0
+059 Subject: Mail delivery failed: returning message to sender
+054I Message-Id: <E1i2t1o-0000cD-CV@muli.schlittermann.de>
+038 Date: Wed, 28 Aug 2019 10:10:04 +0200
--- /dev/null
+keep_environment =
+tls_advertise_hosts =
+log_file_path = DIR/spool/log/%slog
+spool_directory = DIR/aux-fixed/0909
--- /dev/null
+# Check for trailing backslash bug CVE-2019-XXX
+exim -Mset 1i2t1o-0000cD-CV -be '$tls_in_peerdn'
--- /dev/null
+example.com\