Security Vulnerability in the Logging Output of Sun Java System Access Manager

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Security Vulnerability in the Logging Output of Sun Java System Access Manager

1. Impact

When the debug level within Sun Java System Access Manager (formerly Sun Java System Identity Server) is set to "message," login passwords may be logged in plain text and are therefore readable by local unprivileged users. This would allow that user to gain unauthorized access to user identities which are managed by Sun Java System Access Manager.

2. Contributing Factors

This issue can occur in the following releases:

SPARC Platform

• Sun One Identity Server 6.1 for Solaris 8 and 9 without patch 117586-16
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6.2 (2004Q2) for Solaris 8 and 9 without patch 115766-09
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 9 without patches 119465-02 and 119466-02
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 10 without patch 119465-09 

x86 Platform

• Sun One Identity Server 6.1 for Solaris 8 and 9
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6.2 (2004Q2) for Solaris 8 and 9 without patch 120091-09
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 9 without patches 119465-02 and 119467-02
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 10 without patch 119467-09

Linux

• Sun Java System Acess Manager 6.2 (2004Q2) without patch 119409-09
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for RHEL2.1 without patch 119502-02

Note: Patch 119465-02 is a "generic" patch, applicable to both SPARC and x86 platforms.

Systems are only impacted when the "com.iplanet.services.debug.level" property is set to "message" in the "/etc/opt/SUNWam/config/AMConfig.properties" file (this flag is usually set to help with debugging).

The debug level can be determined by looking at the "AMConfig.properties" file for an entry similar to the following (example):

    com.iplanet.services.debug.level=message

To determine the version of Sun Java System Access Manager on a system, the following command can be run:

    $ /opt/SUNWam/bin/amadmin -n

or for Identity server:

    $ /opt/SUNWam/bin/amserver -n

    Sun Java System Identity Server version 2004Q2

3. Symptoms

Plain text passwords are shown in the "/var/opt/SUNWam/debug/amAuth" debug file. The following is a sample output of the "amAuth" debug file after login, where "Login.Token2=testpassword" appears in plain text:

    # grep -i token2 amAuth | more
    LoginStateReturning.. hash :{channelName=Login, module=Membership, Login.Token2=
    password, Login=Login, Login.Token1=user1}
    LoginStateReturning.. hash :{channelName=Login, module=Membership, Login.Token2=
    testpassword, Login=Login, Login.Token1=testuser}
    LoginStateReturning.. hash :{channelName=Login, module=Membership, Login.Token2=
    testpassword, Login=Login, Login.Token1=testuser}

4. Workaround

To work around the described issue, do not use the "message" debug mode. Instead, set the debug level in the "/etc/opt/SUNWam/config/AMConfig.properties" file to "error", as in the following example:

    com.iplanet.services.debug.level=error

5. Resolution

This issue is addressed in the following releases:

SPARC Platform

• Sun One Identity Server 6.1 (for Solaris 8 and 9) with patch 117586-16 or later
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6.2 (2004Q2) for Solaris 8 and 9 with patch 115766-09 or later
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 9 with patches 119465-02 or later and 119466-02 or later
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 10 with patch 119465-09 or later

x86 Platform

• Sun Java System Access Manager 6.2 (2004Q2) for Solaris 8 and 9 with patch 120091-09 or later
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 9 with patches 119465-02 or later and 119467-02 or later
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 2005Q1) for Solaris 10 with patch 119467-09 or later

Note: Sun One Identity Server 6.1 for Solaris 8 and 9 on x86 requires an upgrade to Sun Java System Access Manager 6.2 (with the patches listed above) to address this issue.

Linux

• Sun Java System Acess Manager 6.2 (2004Q2) with patch 119409-09 or later
• Sun Java System Access Manager 6 2005Q1 (for RHEL2.1) with patch 119502-02 or later

Notes:

1. Both patches listed for Sun Java System Access Manager 6 (2005Q1) for Solaris 9 on the SPARC and x86 platforms must be installed to resolve this issue.
2. Patch 119465-02 is a "generic" patch, applicable to both SPARC and x86 platforms.

For more information on Security Sun Alerts, see Technical Instruction ID 213557.

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Modification History

28-Apr-2008: Updated Resolution section to add link for Security Technical Instruction document
19-Sep-2008: No further updates, republish Resolved

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