Novell is now a part of Micro Focus

Security update to Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 10FEB2004)


solutions Security update to Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (1edbffa2bbcd8c75a2d0e2d2ad287d33)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IBM iSeries and IBM pSeries

Release: 20040210
Obsoletes: none

Indications

Everyone using SLES8 on PowerPC should update.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

This kernel update addresses several security problem that can lead
from local denial-of-service to local root access:
  • Vicam USB driver: CAN-2004-0075
    • denial-of-service due to problem while copying data from user to kernel space
  • Direct Render Infrastructure: CAN-2004-0003
    • denial-of-service due to integer overflow
    • needs r128 card and console to be exploited
  • ncpfs/ncp_lookup: CAN-2004-0010
    • buffer overflow with the possibility to gain root
  • execve():
    • malformed elf binaries can lead to a local denial-of-service attack
  • mremap(): CAN-2004-0077
    • a new bug found by Paul Starzetz that can lead to local root access
Additionally, a few bugfixes are included, fixing problems with
SCSI starvation, ACPI, lvm-mp, LAuS, aacraid and NFS. The qla2x00_conf
modules were enabled. Support for newer PPC CPUs has been added.
The kernel's memory management was not well tuned for handling
machines with > 8GB of memory and with applications using large
amounts of non-locked shared memory, such as SAP. For these situations,
setting the new /proc/sys/vm/vm_shmem_swap sysctl to 1 helps.
Also this kernel uses the latest Broadcom drivers and keeps NAPI enabled.

Solution

Please install the updates provided at the location noted below.

Installation notes

Please install the updates provided at the location noted below.

Installation notes

This update is provided as an RPM package that can easily be installed onto a running system.
First, find out which kernel package to use, for example with
rpm -qf /boot/vmlinuz
Download the kernel image fitting your setup and install it with either:
  • rpm -Fvh k_kernel-iseries64.rpm for the iSeries64 kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_kernel-ppc64.rpm for the PPC64 kernel image
(Note: only install one of these kernels, not all of them.)
If you need the kernel sources you can install them by using the command:
rpm -Uvh kernel-source.rpm
Finally, reboot the system with
shutdown -r now
to load the new kernel (replace "now" with the appropriate amount of time to allow local users to cleanly log out, for example "+5" for five minutes.)

links to download packages

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.


Disclaimer

The Origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is for your information only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.

Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. Consult your product manuals for complete trademark information.

© Copyright Micro Focus or one of its affiliates