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Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 22MAY2003)


solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (e1436999ed2e6060dceb95120c143c1d)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 8 for x86
SuSE Linux Openexchange Server 4

Package: kernel-source
k_deflt
k_smp
k_athlon
k_psmp
k_debug
Release: 20030522
Obsoletes: none

Indications

This update fixes security bugs as well as stability problems and should be applied to every system.

Contraindications

None.

Description

This kernel fixes two security vulnerabilities and two severe stability problems:
  • possible denial of service attack (DoS) in the routing code
  • possible attack of an unprivileged user via ioport
  • random memory corruption on high network load
  • several bugs in the JFS filesystem than can lead to hanging machine
If you are already running the service pack #2 kernel, we strongly recommend to update to this new version.

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-2.4.19-304.i586.rpm for the default kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_athlon-2.4.19-304.i586.rpm for the AMD Athlon optimized kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_smp-2.4.19-304.i586.rpm for the SMP kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_psmp-2.4.19-304.i586.rpm for the PSMP kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_debug-2.4.19-304.i586.rpm for the debug kernel image
(N.B.: only install one of these kernels, not all of them.)
In case you are using lilo, 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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