Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 12JAN2004)

solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (c21c83cef7da859f3730fcb37d40ed2d)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for AMD64

Package: k_deflt
k_smp
k_numa
kernel-source
Release: 20040112
Obsoletes: none

Indications

Everyone using the Linux Kernel on AMD64 architecture should update.

Problem description

Two security fixes:

Due to insufficient checks of CPU register access from user-space while being in 32bit emulation of ptrace() a process can get kernel-level access to all system components.
Paul Starzetz of iSEC reported a vulnerability in the mremap system call, which allows local attackers to crash the machine, and even to obtain super user privileges under some circumstances.

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.rpm for the default kernel image, or
rpm -Fhv k_smp.rpm for the SMP kernel image, or
rpm -Fhv k_numa.rpm for the Numa kernel image

(N.B.: only install one of these kernels, not all of them.)
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

SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for AMD64 (x86_64)

Download Source Packages

Download the source code of the patches for maintained products.

Disclaimer

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