Security update for mailman

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 11FEB2005)

solutions Security update for mailman SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (98f5b90c27d1ba5c76b51671dbbdb8bf)

Applies to

Package: mailman
Product(s): SUSE CORE 9 for x86
SUSE CORE 9 for Itanium Processor Family
SUSE CORE 9 for IBM POWER
SUSE CORE 9 for IBM S/390 31bit
SUSE CORE 9 for IBM zSeries 64bit
SUSE CORE 9 for AMD64 and Intel EM64T
SUSE LINUX Retail Solution 8
SuSE Linux School Server for i386
SuSE Linux Standard Server 8
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for x86
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IPF
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IBM iSeries and IBM pSeries
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IBM S/390 and IBM zSeries
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for IBM zSeries
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for AMD64
Novell Linux Desktop 9 for x86
SuSE Linux Openexchange Server 4
Patch: patch-9866
Release: 20050211
Obsoletes: none

Indications

Install this update if you are using mailman.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

A directory traversal problem was found in the archive handling of the mailman list manager. This allowed a remote attacker with access to a mailarchive on the machine to read any file readable by the mailman cgi script, including the mailman config database with plaintext passwords, mailinglist archives of closed lists, or any worldreadable file on the system.
This issue has been assigned the Mitre CVE ID CAN-2005-0202.

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 -Fvh mailman.rpm

Note 1: The last security update introduced a new dependency on the mailman package. Please make sure that the "python-xml" RPM is installed, otherwise mailman will not work correctly.
Note 2: After installing the upgraded packages, please make sure that your mailinglist config databases have not been retrieved by attackers.
You can do so by checking for patterns like ".....///" in your webservers access logs.
If this is the case:

Reset all user passwords. The last security update includes a new "change_member_pw" script which can do that easily.
Change the mailinglist admin password.
Optionally: Look for members which should not be in the list

links to download packages

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.

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