Security update for Linux kernel (kernel-source)

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(Last modified: 05MAY2003)

solutions Security update for Linux kernel (kernel-source) SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (4c7cc6ad5e5e5d74b3f2c2843d572e1a)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IBM S/390 and IBM zSeries
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IBM zSeries

Package: kernel-source
Release: 20030505
Obsoletes: none

Indications

This patch updates your kernel-source package and is only necessary if you compile your own kernel.

Contraindications

None.

Description

N.B.: This update concerns the package kernel-source. It does not directly fix the vulnerability, but it provides the kernel sources for occasions where a kernel with differnent settings needs to be compiled, e.g. for tracking certain events.
The update fixes a security vulnerability in the Linux kernel
(CAN-2003-0127) and contains fixes for high SMP workloads and ERP
scenarios. The changes in detail are:
Security Fix
The vulnerability allows a local unprivileged attacker to
gain root privileges by using ptrace/strace in
combination with automatic kernel module loading on request, also known
as "kmod".
As a temporary workaround, it is possible to disable the automatic loading of kernel modules by running the following command as user "root":
echo /no/such/file >/proc/sys/kernel/modprobe
This patch also includes improved argument checking for getting and setting the IEEE instruction pointer of the last floating point exception in the S/390 specific code to prevent possible crashes if it is wrongly used.
Restrictions for Path Grouped DASDs
Do not reconfigure or re-cable path grouped DASDs or path grouped channel attached tapes while the system is running to avoid problems with the path revalidation code. Also, the system may hang during reboot as a result of these actions. As a safe workaround, shut the Linux system down with shutdown -h now and perform an IPL CLEAR after the changes.
S/390 specific fixes

Fix interrupt handling related to status pending condition.
Fix path not operational detection using last path used mask.
Fix lost interrupt because of zero basic sense data.
Fix deadlock with all CPUs in enable_cpu_sync_isc().
Fix oops on dynamic addition of an FCP adapter.
Fix TLB handling for high SMP workloads with heaps of threads.
Fix possible user process crash or kernel oops because of 31-bit address space overflow.
Fix too much logging for incoming ELS via printk().
Fix ESS DASD support: Enhanced and fixed various ERP scenarios.

OSA Fixes

Fix OSA features like broadcast after detaching the cable.
Fix high load in many-to-one communication scenarios.
Fix MAC decoding problem for VM Guest LAN interfaces (needs PTF UM30652, available for z/VM 4.3.0).

General fixes

Fix a longstanding TCP problem that can lead to hanging SSH sessions.
fix SMP races with hanging rsync processes and data loss on power failure.
Fix possible data exposure and data corruption caused by abusing O_DIRECT.
Prevent statfs overflow for huge NFS filesystems.
Fix problem in O_DIRECT implementation when reading files with holes in it.
Fix possible oops when trying to free pages in async I/O.
Fix longstanding off-by-one error in keventd initialization that can cause to system freeze.

New drivers and driver updates

Add software watchdog module.

IBM code drops
This update includes the IBM code drop '2003-02-03 kernel for the "May 2002 stream"'

Solution

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 by using this command:
rpm -Uvh kernel-source.rpm

links to download packages

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.

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