Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 19NOV2004)

solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (9dcea5669bbecc9db46285feea07a467)

Applies to

Package: k_athlon
k_deflt
k_psmp
k_smp
k_debug
kernel-source
Product(s): 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 Openexchange Server 4

Release: 20041119
Obsoletes: 8286d313f87e1e460c4843010ab65fbd

Indications

Everyone using the Linux Kernel on x86 architecture should update.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

Following security issues have been fixed:

Fixed / Added ELF loader error handling where it was missing, which could lead to a local privilege escalation. This was found by Paul Starzetz of isec.pl.
Fixed several smbfs boundary checking problems which could lead to buffer overflows. This issue was found by Stefan Essern and was assigned the CVE ID CAN-2004-0883.
Fixed a possible userspace corruptions / data disclosure problem on SMP machines with more than 4 GB of RAM.
Fixed a denial of service condition in a.out support.

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 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

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.

Disclaimer

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