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Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 31MAY2005)


solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (a3b07ca3609dec4a6eaba721000098e2)

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
Patch: patch-10213
Release: 20050531
Obsoletes: 4a286efd6b619b5ffa90640592157e39
c53f8cd84f3c8c488bfb9e9ca445d6df

Indications

Everyone using the Linux Kernel on x86 architecture should update.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

This update fixes the following security problems:
  • when creating directories on ext2 filesystems the kernel did not zero initialize the memory allocated. Therefore potentially sensitive information could be exposed to users (CAN-2005-0400).
  • local users can crash the kernel via a crafted ELF library or executable, which causes a free of an invalid pointer (CAN-2005-0749).
  • local users could gain root access by causing a core dump of specially crafted ELF executables (CAN-2005-1263).
This update also addresses the following non-security problems:
  • fix files beeing truncated to four gigabytes on ext3
  • fix entries in /proc that caused 'top' to crash
  • fix kernel crash caused by busy inodes after umount
  • fix data corruption issue in MD multipath when retrying failed IO
  • enhanced locking in MD multipath and raid1
  • fix endless loop in IPsec
  • fix crash in XFS filesystem
  • fix write performance problems on machines with more than 1GB memory

Solution

Please install the updates provided at the location noted below.

Installation notes

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.


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