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Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 01JUL2004)


solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (7b94d057e7afe6258ef70a1a8138fb84)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Desktop 1.0

Package: k_athlon
k_deflt
k_psmp
k_smp
kernel-source
Release: 20040701
Obsoletes: bd39456bc2f4bc41344e444e01a44ce4

Indications

Everyone using the Linux Kernel on x86 architecture should update.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

This kernel update fixes several security critical bugs that range from local denial-of-service conditions to possible privilege escalation.
  • chown: users can change the group affiliation of arbitrary files to the group they belong to
  • pss, mpu401 sound driver: read/write to complete memory
  • airo driver: read/write to complete memory
  • ALSA: copy_from_user/copy_to_user confused
  • acpi_asus: read from random memory
  • decnet: write to memory without checking
  • e1000 driver: read complete memory

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.
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_deflt-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the default kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_athlon-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the AMD Athlon optimized kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_smp-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the SMP kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_psmp-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the PSMP kernel image
Please do only install one of these kernels, not all of them.
In case you are using LILO as bootmanager, please make sure that you also execute the command
lilo
after intalling the update for the system to remain bootable.
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.


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