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FW: FYI - Cisco - Status as of Sat Jan 25...Global worm attack seems related to SQL 2000...see below for patches from Microsoft (available as of 7/17/02).]

  • From: Jeffrey Meltzer
  • Date: Sat Jan 25 16:02:46 2003

-----Original Message-----
From:  [mailto:@cisco.com] 
Sent: Saturday, January 25, 2003 2:13 PM
To: Recipient list suppressed
Subject: FYI - Cisco - Status as of Sat Jan 25...Global worm attack
seems related to SQL 2000...see below for patches from Microsoft
(available as of 7/17/02).
 
FYI - 

According to this article from the Associated Press:

 
<http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&ncid=716&e=3&u=/ap/2003012
5/ap_on_hi_te/internet_attack>
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&ncid=716&e=3&u=/ap/20030125
/ap_on_hi_te/internet_attack

"The attack sought to exploit a software flaw discovered by researchers
in July 2002 that permits hackers to seize control of corporate database
servers. Microsoft deemed the flaw to be "critical" and offered a free
repairing patch, but it was impossible to know how many computer
administrators applied the fix."

Symptoms that may be seen, detected and may be causing alerts on Cisco
devices include, but are not limited to high CPU and traffic drops on
the input interfaces.

The Microsoft Security advisory specifies that this vulnerability is
specific to SQL 2000.  
Microsoft first published the fixed patch on 7/17/2002.

Please insure that you are at the correct patch levels for all your
servers that use SQL 2000.
Microsoft Security Bulletin MS02-039

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/secur
ity/bulletin/MS02-039.asp


This is basically the same attack as code red using the same UDP port
numbers to for the attack.  If you have applied patches for the code red
virus they are most likely covered protected.  The attached link from
CNN does a nice job of explaining the similarity.

http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/internet/01/25/internet.attack.ap/index.htm
l


Cisco utilizes a security harden OS for servers running our services
such Call Manager 3.3. Though SQL 2000 is used by Cisco Unity and Call
Manager 3.3, it is still appropriate and best practice to keep all
servers current with the latest patches to avoid known vulnerabilities
and protect against future re-occurrences.

Cisco's Host Intrusion Detection System (HIDS) can be used on servers to
detect "unknown" attacks, as was Code Red prior to patches being
available.

Thanks,   

Cisco


==================================================================
TECHNICAL INFORMATION -         

There is a Global attack going on around the world which is a WORM that
is attacking the Microsoft SQL server on UDP port 1433 & 1434. 
Cisco TAC has the following PSIRT that can be used to help our Customer.


************************************************************************
*********************************
Summary: 

Cisco customers may currently be experiencing attacks due to a new worm
that has hit the Internet. The signature of this worm appears to be high
volumes of UDP traffic to port 1434. Affected customers have been
experiencing high volumes of traffic from both internal and external
systems. 

Symptoms that can be seen & detected on Cisco devices include, but are
not limited to high CPU and traffic drops on the input interfaces.

Details: 

UDP port 1433 and 1434 are used for SQL server traffic. A new worm has
been targeting this port and attempting to exploit a buffer overflow
vulnerability in Microsoft's SQL server.

Microsoft has issued a security advisory about this issue, the details
are here:

http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/default.asp?url=/technet/secur
ity/bulletin/MS02-039.asp

For infected servers, MS recommends downloading Service Pack 3 for
SqlSvr, located here:

http://www.microsoft.com/sql/downloads/2000/sp3.asp?SD=GN
<http://www.microsoft.com/sql/downloads/2000/sp3.asp?SD=GN&LN=en-us&gssn
b=1> &LN=en-us&gssnb=1

Symptoms:

You may see instability in networks due to increased load.  
The traffic load generated by this DoS is very high, with some customers
experiencing traffic loads as high as 20 Megabits per second combined
egress and ingress rates.

Workarounds until patches can be applied:

Thus far the best mitigation is to block inbound and outbound traffic
destined to UDP port 1434.  Care must be taken in regards to the impact
on mission critical services as 1434/udp and 1433/udp are used by
Microsoft SQL Server.  Before blocking traffic to that port completely
make sure that the possible effects on your network are understood.

PLEASE NOTE: These workarounds block both ports 1433 and 1434, although
we have received no evidence yet that blocking port 1433 has any affect
on the attack. If your network requires traffic to flow on port 1433
please leave that portion of the ACL out and monitor your results
closely.

****

VACL config on 5500/6500 - confirmed that this drops the CPU load on the
MSFC as well.

set security acl ip WORM deny udp any eq 1433 any
set security acl ip WORM deny udp any any eq 1433
set security acl ip WORM deny udp any any eq 1434
set security acl ip WORM deny udp any eq 1434 any
set security acl ip WORM permit any
commit security acl WORM
set security acl map WORM 

****

ACL for IOS

access-list 115 deny udp any any eq 1433 log
access-list 115 deny udp any any eq 1434 log
access-list 115 permit ip any any

int 
ip access-group 115 in
ip access-group 115 out

****

If you have any new information that would be of use to us, please send
email to [email protected]

General information regarding strategies for protecting against
Distributed Denial of Service attacks may be found at
http://www.cisco.com/warp/public/707/newsflash.html

********************************************


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                                            Cisco Systems