password sniffed at CERN

From: Hironori Ito (hito@rcf.rhic.bnl.gov)
Date: Fri Apr 04 2003 - 14:42:49 EST

  • Next message: Eun-Joo Kim: "[Fwd: rcrs0008-0009 and rcrs0013-0014]"
    Hello.  I just got a warning that a password (or many passowords) at
    CERN has been sniffed (stolen) during a period of March 18-30.  If you
    logged on to CERN machine during that time, it is advised to change your
    password for BNL account (as well as anywhere else).  For more detail
    including a way to find if your system is affected, read the below.
    
    Hiro
    
    
    > >
    > >It has become apparent that a major security break-in is affecting the
    > >CERN site.
    > >It is also likely that our collaborating sites are affected. I give
    > >details below.
    > >
    > >We have recently discovered several compromised Linux systems running
    > >the "SucKIT"
    > >rootkit and collecting passwords typed by connected users. From the
    > >system files we
    > >believe the compromises happened between 18 - 30 March 2003, most likely
    > >using the
    > >ptrace exploit fixed in the most recent linux kernel versions.
    > >
    > >We strongly suggest that you check linux systems on your sites for the
    > >SucKIT
    > >rootkit. This rootkit can be very difficult to detect. The particular
    > >versions seen
    > >at CERN have been detected with the recipe below.
    > >
    > >We have contacted users whose passwords have been found, but now suspect
    > >that other
    > >systems since upgraded, were also compromised at that time. For these we
    > >have no
    > >knowledge of passwords possibly collected. We therefore advise you to
    > >warn users
    > >connected from/to CERN between 18-30 March to change their passwords
    > >both at
    > >your site as well as at CERN. It would obviously be wise to first check
    > >your
    > >systems for the SucKIT rootkit.
    > >
    > >Thanks for your collaboration.
    > >
    > >Denise Heagerty,
    > >CERN Computer Security Officer.
    > >
    > >Recipe to check for the SucKIT rootkit
    > >--------------------------------------
    > >
    > >Here is a simple recipe to detect the SucKIT rootkit, as it has been
    > >found on CERN machines. It may miss some other types of installations
    > >but it should produce no false positive. (The URL for the rootkit is at
    > >http://sd.g-art.nl/sk).
    > >
    > >Just run:
    > >   # ls -li /sbin/init /sbin/telinit
    > >
    > >Here is the output on a normal machine:
    > >   304579 -rwxr-xr-x   1 root    root    26920 Mar 14  2002 /sbin/init*
    > >   304587 lrwxrwxrwx   1 root    root        4 Dec  2 13:18 /sbin/telinit
    > >-> init*
    > >
    > >Here is the output on a compromised machine:
    > >    85133 -rwxr-xr-x   1 root    root    25636 Mar 26 20:03 /sbin/init
    > >    85133 -rwxr-xr-x   1 root    root    25636 Mar 26 20:03 /sbin/telinit
    > >
    > >In the second case, telinit is a real file (not a symlink) and its
    > >time is the time of the rootkit installation. Note also the incorrect
    > >information: both files have the same inode number but a reference
    > >count of one, this comes from the kernel module hiding the real
    > >information.
    


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