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Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 15OCT2004)


solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (b2c0e543d119d888678183d358e12a86)

Applies to

Package: kernel-bigsmp
kernel-default
kernel-smp
kernel-source
kernel-um
kernel-debug
kernel-syms
Product(s): SUSE CORE 9 for x86
Patch: patch-9416
Release: 20041015
Obsoletes: 1d6000a659c4fcfb113377dfd4e319f2

Indications

Everyone using the Linux Kernel on x86 architecture should update.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

Security Fixes:
  • With the iptables firewall enabled in a certain configuration (as done by SuSEFirewall2) a handcrafted IP packet from a remote attacker could crash the machine.
  • s390: The privileged "sacf" instruction was not correctly protected, so local users could gain root access.
  • Some minor addition proc information leaks were fixed.
Bug fixes:
  • 2 CD writing problems were fixed, one in BIO handling and one in highmem bounce buffer handling (machines with more than 1GB RAM).
  • A problem with write barriers not being issued on IDE drives that default to write cache off was fixed.
  • Make sure O_SYNC writes return -EIO for write errors.
  • Some bio related fixes for the ASMlib kernel driver.
  • Support for O_NOATIME in open(2) system call, fixing an LVM related problem.
  • Do not clear/remove referenced pages in BLKFLSBUF ioctl.
  • Fixed an iptables logging Oops caused by ifdown/ifup sequences.
  • Do not propagate TCP errors to nfsd to avoid having nfsd dieing.
  • Fixed some RAID 1 problems for read retry problems and device removal.
  • Do not dirty inherited ACLs.
  • Don't attach upper level SCSI drivers to raid control ports, such as the LSI/Engenio.
  • Fixed a USB 2.0 EHCI problem with list scanning on SMP systems.
  • Fixed a memory corruption in libata.
Architecture specific bug fixes:
  • i386: Avoid userspace corruption during COWs with threads on x86 bigsmp (PAE enabled) systems with more than 4G of RAM.

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 download and use, for example with
rpm -qf /boot/vmlinuz
Download the kernel image fitting your setup and the kernel symbols (kernel-syms*.rpm) and install it with either:
  • rpm -Fvh kernel-syms*.rpm kernel-default*.rpm for the default kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv kernel-syms*.rpm kernel-smp*.rpm for the SMP kernel image with support for up to 64 GB, or
  • rpm -Fhv kernel-syms*.rpm kernel-bigsmp*.rpm for the SMP kernel image with support for up to 64 GB
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

links to download packages

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.


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