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Internet Security Systems Security Brief
March 3, 2003

Snort RPC Preprocessing Vulnerability

Synopsis:

ISS X-Force has discovered a remotely exploitable buffer overflow
condition
in Snort. Snort is an open source intrusion detection system. A
buffer
overflow flaw exists in Snort RPC preprocessing code that is
vulnerable to
attack.

Impact:

Remote attackers may exploit the buffer overflow condition to run
arbitrary
code on a Snort sensor with the privileges of the Snort IDS process,
which
typically runs as the superuser. The vulnerable preprocessor is
enabled by
default. It is not necessary to establish an actual connection to a
RPC
portmapper service to exploit this vulnerability.

Snort may be installed by default on some commercially available
network-
security appliances. Remote attackers can exploit this vulnerability
by
directing the exploit towards any host on any network monitored by
the Snort
intrusion detection system. A successful attack can either crash the
Snort
sensor, or lead to complete remote compromise.

Affected Versions:

Snort 1.8 (July 2001) up to and including Snort-Current (March 3,
2003 1pm ET)

For the complete ISS X-Force Security Advisory, please visit:=20
http://www.iss.net/issEn/delivery/xforce/alertdetail.jsp?oid=3D21951

______

About Internet Security Systems (ISS)
Founded in 1994, Internet Security Systems (ISS) (Nasdaq: ISSX) is a
pioneer and world leader in software and services that protect
critical
online resources from an ever-changing spectrum of threats and
misuse.
Internet Security Systems is headquartered in Atlanta, GA, with
additional operations throughout the Americas, Asia, Australia,
Europe
and the Middle East.

Copyright (c) 2003 Internet Security Systems, Inc. All rights
reserved
worldwide.

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you wish to reprint the whole or any part of this document in any
other
medium excluding electronic media, please email xforce@iss.net for
permission.=20

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