Products & Services

Contents

Summary
Affected Products
Details
Impact
Software Versions and Fixes
Workarounds
Obtaining Fixed Software
Exploitation and Public Announcements
Status of This Notice: FINAL
Distribution
Revision History
Cisco Security Procedures

This section provides details on affected products.

Vulnerable Products

Products Confirmed Not Vulnerable

This section provides detailed information about these vulnerabilities.

Description

A bug in Cisco's extended IP access list implementation can, under very specific circumstances, allow a user to bypass IP packet filtering. This may permit unintended IP traffic to pass through your firewall setup.

To determine if you are vulnerable, look through your configuration. The configuration can be displayed by enabling and then entering the command "write term".

If you see an access list line using a list number in the range of 100 through 199 that permits or denies TCP traffic and contains the word 'established' near the end of the line, you may be vulnerable.

An example line might look like:

In IOS 10.3:

access-list 100 permit tcp any any established

In IOS 10.2 or earlier:

access-list 100 permit tcp 0.0.0.0 255.255.255.255 0.0.0.0
255.255.255.255 established

If you do not meet this test, then you are not vulnerable. You do not need to do anything.

Workaround

The following actions will remove the vulnerability:

• Rewrite the access list parameters so the 'established' keyword is not necessary. This does not simply mean that you may remove the 'established' keyword, but rather that you will need to re-design your access lists to provide similar functionality without using the established mechanism.
  

or

• Disable the interfaces to which the access list is applied using the 'shutdown' interface subcommand.
  Example:
  

  router(config)#interface ethernet 0
  router(config-if)#shutdown
  

Solution

Obtain and install the appropriate release of IOS software as described above. For assistance, contact Cisco's TAC.

Technical Comments

This problem is caused by an obscure but common design flaw that we believe exists in many router/firewall vendor's packet filtering implementations.

Owners of non-Cisco hardware who use IP packet filtering features similar to Cisco's "extended access lists" as part of a firewall system may wish to contact their vendor to confirm that this vulnerability does not exist in their system. (Technical discussions about the problem have already occurred in the appropriate forum.)

This vulnerability can only be exploited with certain IP host implementations (we do not have information on which implementations are susceptible). Cisco suggests that all routers configured to filter IP packets based upon the 'established' mechanism be upgraded.

Successful exploitation of the vulnerability may, under very specific circumstances and only with certain IP host implementations, allow unauthorized packets to circumvent a filtering router. .

When considering software upgrades, also consult http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt and any subsequent advisories to determine exposure and a complete upgrade solution.

In all cases, customers should exercise caution to be certain the devices to be upgraded contain sufficient memory and that current hardware and software configurations will continue to be supported properly by the new release. If the information is not clear, contact the Cisco Technical Assistance Center ("TAC") or your contracted maintenance provider for assistance.

Software upgrades may be obtained via any of the following mechanisms:

World Wide Web (WWW)

For registered CCO users please open a URL to:

http://www.cisco.com/tacpage/sw-center/

and select the the version of software to download.

For non-registered users open a URL to:

https://www.cisco.com/cgi-bin/Software/SFA/sfa.cgi

When prompted for a code, please enter the special access code you are given by your Cisco Technical Assistance Center support representative for a list of available files to download.

FTP

ftp cco.cisco.com and at the initial (username) prompt, enter the special access code you are given by your Cisco support representative as a userid. At the password prompt, enter your e-mail address.

Character-based "CCO Classic"

For access, the following connection options are offered:

telnet cco.cisco.com

Dial-up modem

• In Europe +33 1 64 46 40 82
  
• In the US (408) 526 8070
  vt100, N81, up to 14.4Kbps
  

Enter either as a guest or registered user and navigate to the topic:

Software Updates
Special Files 

At the prompt for a code, please enter the special access code you are given by your Cisco support representative for a list of available files to download. A list of files will be displayed for you to select and download.

The recommended action is to upgrade to a more recent version of IOS, or take one of the immediate workaround actions described below. The vulnerability is fixed by in the following official software releases:

10.0(10) or later
10.2(6) or later
10.3(3) or later

(For reference, the Cisco update identifier for this fix is "CSCdi34061".)

Cisco has made free software available to address this vulnerability for affected customers. Prior to deploying software, customers should consult their maintenance provider or check the software for feature set compatibility and known issues specific to their environment.

Customers may only install and expect support for the feature sets they have purchased. By installing, downloading, accessing or otherwise using such software upgrades, customers agree to be bound by the terms of Cisco's software license terms found at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/docs/general/warranty/English/EU1KEN_.html, or as otherwise set forth at Cisco.com Downloads at http://www.cisco.com/public/sw-center/sw-usingswc.shtml.

Do not contact either "psirt@cisco.com" or "security-alert@cisco.com" for software upgrades.

Customers with contracts should obtain upgraded software through their regular update channels. For most customers, this means that upgrades should be obtained through the Software Center on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com.

Customers whose Cisco products are provided or maintained through prior or existing agreement with third-party support organizations such as Cisco Partners, authorized resellers, or service providers should contact that support organization for guidance and assistance with the appropriate course of action in regards to this advisory.

The effectiveness of any workaround or fix is dependent on specific customer situations such as product mix, network topology, traffic behavior, and organizational mission. Due to the variety of affected products and releases, customers should consult with their service provider or support organization to ensure any applied workaround or fix is the most appropriate for use in the intended network before it is deployed.

Customers who purchase direct from Cisco but who do not hold a Cisco service contract and customers who purchase through third-party vendors but are unsuccessful at obtaining fixed software through their point of sale should get their upgrades by contacting the Cisco Technical Assistance Center (TAC). TAC contacts are as follows.

• +1 800 553 2447 (toll free from within North America)
  
• +1 408 526 7209 (toll call from anywhere in the world)
  
• e-mail: tac@cisco.com
  

Have your product serial number available and give the URL of this notice as evidence of your entitlement to a free upgrade. Free upgrades for non-contract customers must be requested through the TAC.

Refer to http://www.cisco.com/en/US/support/tsd_cisco_worldwide_contacts.html for additional TAC contact information, including special localized telephone numbers and instructions and e-mail addresses for use in various languages.

The Cisco PSIRT is not aware of any public announcements or malicious use of the vulnerability described in this advisory.

This vulnerability was reported to Cisco by .

This advisory is posted on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/cisco-sa-19950601-key-packet-bypass.shtml.

In addition to worldwide web posting, a text version of this notice is clear-signed with the Cisco PSIRT PGP key and is posted to the following e-mail and Usenet news recipients.

• cust-security-announce@cisco.com
  
• first-teams@first.org
  
• bugtraq@securityfocus.com
  
• vulnwatch@vulnwatch.org
  
• cisco@spot.colorado.edu
  
• cisco-nsp@puck.nether.net
  
• full-disclosure@lists.grok.org.uk
  
• comp.dcom.sys.cisco@newsgate.cisco.com
  

Future updates of this advisory, if any, will be placed on Cisco's worldwide website, but may or may not be actively announced on mailing lists or newsgroups. Users concerned about this problem are encouraged to check the above URL for any updates.

Complete information on reporting security vulnerabilities in Cisco products, obtaining assistance with security incidents, and registering to receive security information from Cisco, is available on Cisco's worldwide website at http://www.cisco.com/en/US/products/products_security_vulnerability_policy.html. This includes instructions for press inquiries regarding Cisco security notices. All Cisco security advisories are available at http://www.cisco.com/go/psirt.