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Security update for Linux Kernel (k_deflt)

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(Last modified: 11DEC2002)

solutions Security update for Linux Kernel (k_deflt) SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (e5c673152df0a3394e6615d2297caa55)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 7 for IBM zSeries

Package: k_deflt
Release: 20021211
Obsoletes: none

Indications

Everyone should install this updated kernel.

Contraindications

Installation requires re-IPL of the Linux system.

Description

This kernel contains fixes for the following problems:
Security-related fixes
  • Fix a problem in the tcp connection tracking code that could allow an attacker to make a machine unaccessible via the network for long time.
  • Fix security issues in 3270 fullscreen driver and other drivers
  • Fix problem with reparenting in thread group exit
  • Fix the extension header parsing bugs in the IPv6 netfilter code
  • Fix security hole in get_vm_area()
  • Discard SYN packets with the RST or FIN bit set; Linux would previously accept SYN packets with a RST or FIN bit set. This could be used to circumvent some packet filters who assume that these packets cannot open a new connection. This patch discards bogus SYN packets.
General fixes
  • Fix a theoretical race in the memory management (between free_pte() and truncate()) - adds additional checks to be safe against it
  • Fix race with LRU cache handling (also memory management)
  • Fix swapoff bug because of unsafe dirty check
  • Fix unsafe assert when freeing swap pages(could panic)
  • Fix memory leak with swapon/swapoff
  • Fix an O_DIRECT read cornercase problem
  • Fix possibly incorrect TLB flushing under extreme load and memory pressure
  • Fix SMP race in msgrcv (can be triggered only by extensive IPC usage)
Filesystem fixes
  • Fix rare ext3 data journaling race with truncate transactions
  • Fix ext3 data journaling race where files could show foreign data
  • Fix ext3 panic triggered when reading the partition while mounted
  • Fix potential ext3 recovery problem: old data could be in the log
S/390 and zSeries specific fixes
  • Fixes for S/390 IO Layer problems:
    • Fix hangs after a device is gone
    • Fix hangs after a tape attach or attached tape is not recognized
    • Fix fails to detect devices after 'not operational' messages
  • Fix 32-bit Emulation of recvmsg() system call timestamp conversion for input and out parameters
  • Fix CTC not restarting after I/O errors
  • Fix initialisation problems in the dasd discipline drivers
  • Fix initialisation problems when setting up IUCV connections
  • Fix the get block device size function of the xpram driver to i support XPRAM devices larger than 2GB
Configuration changes
For improving performance under high load, this kernel uses a 100 Hz timer tick, for an on-demand timer tick please uninstall package k_deflt and install package k_timer as described in article "Security update for Linux Kernel (k_timer)" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/psdb/html/bcb8d250bb36400497e08ad87ed84d2e.html) instead.
This Kernel includes OCO Modules from IBM which are updated to the 2002-08-16/Aug16 2002 drop.

Installation notes

Please note that the updated OCO modules require some APARs/PTFs installed for using OSA Express cards or Hipersockets:
Microcode levels for OSA-Express QDIO cards
zSeries 900 GA3:
Driver 3G, OSA microcode level 3.0A,
MCLs: J11204.007 and J11204.008 (available May 03, 2002)
zSeries 900 GA2:
Driver 3C, OSA microcode level: 2.26,
MCLs: J10630.013 and J10630.014 (available May 20, 2002)
zSeries 800 GA1:
Driver 3G, OSA microcode level 3.0A,
MCLs: J11204.007 and J11204.008 (available May 03, 2002)
S/390 Parallel Enterprise Servers G5 and G6:
Driver 26, OSA microcode level: 4.25,
MCLs: F99904.032 and F99904.033 (available May 16, 2002)
VM/ESA and z/VM APARs
z/VM 4.3:
All enhancements included.
z/VM 4.2:
APAR: VM62938, PTF: UM30225
APAR: VM63034, PTF: UM30290
z/VM 4.1:
APAR: VM63034, PTF: UM30289
APAR: VM63036, PTF: UM30293
z/VM 3.1:
APAR: VM63034, PTF: UM30288
APAR: VM63036, PTF: UM30292
VM/ESA 2.4:
APAR: VM63034, PTF: UM30287
APAR: VM63036, PTF: UM30291
Kernel installation
This update is provided as an RPM package that can be manually installed on a running by using these command:
rpm -Uvh k_deflt.rpm zipl
Please do not forget to run "zipl", otherwise your system will not IPL. Now IPL the new kernel with
shutdown -r now
To give local shell users time to gracefully log out, exchange "now" with the appropriate amount of time, 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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