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Security update for Linux Kernel (k_smp)

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(Last modified: 04DEC2003)


solutions Security update for Linux Kernel (k_smp) SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (c558c2e0793a40a1764cdcdb7de6e354)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE eMail Server 3.1
SuSE eMail Server III
SuSE Firewall Adminhost VPN
SuSE Linux Admin-CD for Firewall
SuSE Firewall on CD 2 - VPN
SuSE Firewall on CD 2
SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 7 for IA32
SuSE Linux Office Server

Package: k_smp
Release: 20031204
Obsoletes: none

Indications

This update should be installed for security reasons if you allow local access to the machine.
This article applies to systems with the k_smp kernel package installed, please use the appropriate kernel package if you are using a different kernel:
You can find out which kernel package you are using with
rpm -qf /boot/vmlinuz

Contraindications

None.

Problem description

This kernel update fixes a vulnerability in the brk()system call that allows local attackers to obtain super user privilege (CAN-2003-0961).
This update also fixes a race condition in the handling of files opened
with O_DIRECT, which allows local attackers to read random unallocated
disk blocks (CAN-2003-0018).

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 by using this command:
rpm -Uvh k_smp.rpm
Please make sure that you execute the commands
mk_initrd lilo
as user "root" after installing this update for the system to be 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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