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Security update for Linux kernel

Knowledgebase

(Last modified: 30DEC2003)


solutions Security update for Linux kernel SuSE Linux Maintenance Web (f62733ce8222ba2c5b0f1b62ee9690bf)

Applies to

Product(s): SuSE Linux Desktop 1.0

Package: k_athlon
k_deflt
k_psmp
k_smp
Release: 20031230
Obsoletes: none

Indications

Apply this update if you allow shell access to non-root accounts.

Problem description

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. This update fixes the vulnerability.
Please note that an RPM package of the kernel source is not provided
due to a bug in RPM (update of the package may take 30 minutes or more, or
fail entirely). However, recognizing our obligation to publish the source
along with the binary packages, we will provide the kernel-source RPM package
as an additional maintenance update later. Until then the kernel source
is downloadable as a TAR file from
kernel-source-2.4.19.SuSE-347.tar.bz2

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.*.i586.rpm for the default kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_athlon-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the AMD Athlon optimized kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_smp-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the SMP kernel image, or
  • rpm -Fhv k_psmp-2.4.*.i586.rpm for the PSMP kernel image, or
(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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