Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 27JUL2006)

solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (b9980133c6300cf04c7bfe9fe654442d)

Applies to

Package: kernel-bigsmp
kernel-default
kernel-smp
kernel-source
kernel-um
kernel-debug
kernel-syms
um-host-kernel
um-host-install-initrd
Product(s): SUSE CORE 9 for x86
Novell Linux Desktop 9 for x86
Novell Linux POS 9
Open Enterprise Server
Patch: patch-11118
Release: 20060727
Obsoletes: 3800d49714b40d40671bcc1c767fad5d

Indications

Everyone using the Linux Kernel on x86 architecture should update.

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

This kernel update fixes the following security problems:

CVE-2006-3626: A race condition allows local users to gain root privileges by changing the file mode of /proc/self/ files in a way that causes those files (for instance /proc/self/environ) to become setuid root. [#192688]
CVE-2006-2935: A stackbased buffer overflow in CDROM / DVD handling was fixed which could be used by a physical local attacker to crash the kernel or execute code within kernel context, depending on presence of automatic DVD handling in the system. [#190396]
CVE-2006-2934: When a SCTP packet without any chunks is received, the newconntrack variable in sctp_packet contains an out of bounds value that is used to look up an pointer from the array of timeouts, which is then dereferenced, resulting in a crash. Make sure at least a single chunk is present. [#190136]
CVE-2006-2451: Due to an argument validation error in prctl(PR_SET_DUMPABLE) a local attacker can easily gain administrator (root) privileges. [#186980]
CVE-2006-3085: Fixed a remotely triggerable endless loop in SCTP netfilter handling caused by 0 chunk length. [#186584]
CVE-2006-2448: Due to missing checking of validity of userspace pointers it was possible for local attackers to read any kernel memory, potentially exposing sensitive data to the attacker or crash the kernel. This problem is PowerPC specific. [#186583]
CVE-2006-2444: The snmp_trap_decode function in the SNMP NAT helper allows remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) via unspecified remote attack vectors that cause failures in snmp_trap_decode that trigger (1) frees of random memory or (2) frees of previously-freed memory (double-free) by snmp_trap_decode as well as its calling function, as demonstrated via certain test cases of the PROTOS SNMP test suite. [#177577]
CVE-2006-1858: SCTP allowed remote attackers to cause a denial of service (crash) and possibly execute arbitrary code via a chunk length that is inconsistent with the actual length of provided parameters. [#177571]
CVE-2006-1857: A buffer overflow in the SCTP protocol could allow remote attackers to cause a crash or possibly execute arbitrary code via a malformed HB-ACK chunk. [#177571]
CVE-2006-1528: Linux allows local users to cause a denial of service (crash) via a Direct I/O transfer from the sg driver to memory mapped (mmap) IO space. [#177085]
CVE-2006-0744: When the user could have changed %RIP always force IRET, now also fixed for the UML kernel. [#156580]

and the following non security bugs:

Fix concurrent writes to /proc/sys/vm/toss_page_cache_nodes [#183048]
Null-terminate over-long /proc/kallsyms symbols [#190296]
make APIC errors KERN_DEBUG [#188009]
lpfc: Fix for "UnknownIOCB command Data: x0 x3 x0 x0" [#161780]
SATA 'abnormal status' error, followed by system hang [#188351]
system hangs when failing a path [#177266] (LTC23855)
reiserfs corruption with 2.6.5-7.252-smp x86_64 + patches from #115460 [#170162]
vfs: use in-dentry qstr rather than allocate an external one [#182924]
Fix assertion failure in journal_drop_transaction() [#180498]
bio_to_region fix [#151217]
the whole RAM can't become dirty cache (pagetables, slab etc...) [#164387]

Solution

Please install the updates provided at the location noted below.

Installation notes

Symantec customers should refer to Technical Article http://support.veritas.com/docs/284644 before installing this security patch.
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

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

The Origin of this information may be internal or external to Novell. Novell makes all reasonable efforts to verify this information. However, the information provided in this document is for your information only. Novell makes no explicit or implied claims to the validity of this information.

Any trademarks referenced in this document are the property of their respective owners. Consult your product manuals for complete trademark information.