Original issue date: March 31, 1992<BR>
Last revised: September 19, 1997<BR>
Attached copyright statement

<P>A complete revision history is at the end of this file.

<P>The Computer Emergency Response Team/Coordination Center (CERT/CC) has
received information concerning a vulnerability with the passwd command
in AIX 3.2 and the 2007 update of AIX 3.1.

<P>IBM is aware of this problem, and a fix is available as apar number
&quot;ix23505&quot;.  Patches are available for AIX 3.2 and the 2007 update of 
AIX 3.1.

<P>This fix may be ordered from Level 2 support or by anonymous ftp from 
software.watson.ibm.com (129.34.139.5) on the Internet.
<OL>
<LI>To order from IBM call 1-800-237-5511 and ask 

        that the fix be shipped.  Patches may be obtained
        outside the U.S. by contacting your local IBM
representative.

<LI><P>If you are on the Internet, use anonymous ftp to obtain 

the fix from software.watson.ibm.com.
<PRE>
      Patch           Filename                Checksum
      AIX 3.2         pub/aix3/pas.32.tar.Z   54431  2262
      AIX 3.1 2007    pub/aix3/pas.31.tar.Z   06703    99
</PRE>
Patches should be retrieved using binary mode.

<P>
</OL>

IBM is currently incorporating the fix into the 3.2 version and 3.1
updates of AIX.  Future shipments of these products should not be 
vulnerable to this problem.  If you have any questions about products 
you receive, please contact your IBM representative.

<P><HR>

<H2>I. Description</H2>

The passwd command contains a security vulnerability.

<H2>II. Impact</H2>


Local users can gain unauthorized root access.

<H2>III. Solution</H2>


<H4>A.  As root, disable /bin/passwd until you obtain and install   the patch.</H4>
<PRE>
        # chmod 0500 /bin/passwd
</PRE>
<H4>B.  Obtain the fix from IBM and install according to the  directions provided with the patch.</H4>

<HR>

<P>The CERT/CC would like to thank Paul Selick of the University of Toronto
for bringing this security vulnerability to our attention.  We would also 
like to thank IBM for their quick response to this problem, and for making 
the patches available via anonymous ftp.

<!--#include virtual="/include/footer_nocopyright.html" -->
<P>Copyright 1992 Carnegie Mellon University.</P>

<HR>

Revision History
<PRE>
September 19,1997  Attached copyright statement
</PRE>