Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 05MAY2003)

solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (88124173d9015c1b7855b776a26efb19)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for AMD64

Package: kernel-source
k_deflt
k_numa
k_smp
Release: 20030505
Obsoletes: none

Indications

This update fixes a security bug and should be applied to every system.

Contraindications

None.

Description

The new kernel contains the following security fixes:
Security fixes

Fix security holes in the 32-bit system call emulation of the AMD64 kernel which could be used by a local exploit.
Fix ptrace fix to allow again debugging of setuid applications and reading of /proc/<pid>/cmdline.

Other fixes for AMD64:

Fix for 32-bit get/setrlimit.
Fix for ioperm().
Fix si_band in signals.
Fix iret handling.
Do no lose 16 MB for each node.
Fix SCSI EH handler for MPT fusion driver.
Decode machine check errors.

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-2.4.19-206.x86_64.rpm for the default kernel image, or
rpm -Fhv k_smp-2.4.19-206.x86_64.rpm for the SMP kernel image, or
rpm -Fhv k_numa-2.4.19-206.x86_64.rpm for the NUMA kernel image

(N.B.: only install one of these kernels, not all of them.)
In case you are using lilo, please make sure that you also execute the command
lilo
after installing 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

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for AMD64 (x86_64)

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.

Disclaimer

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