DSA 475-1: New Linux 2.4.18 (hppa) packages fix several local root exploits

A Linux kernel 2.4.18 (hppa) update has been released for Debian GNU/Linux

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Debian Security Advisory DSA 475-1 security@debian.org
http://www.debian.org/security/ Martin Schulze
April 5th, 2004 http://www.debian.org/security/faq
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Package : kernel-image-2.4.17-hppa
Vulnerability : several vulnerabilities
Problem-Type : local
Debian-specific: no
CVE ID : CAN-2003-0961 CAN-2003-0985 CAN-2004-0077

Several local root exploits have been discovered recently in the Linux kernel. This security advisory updates the PA-RISC kernel 2.4.18 for Debian GNU/Linux. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems that are fixed with this update:

CAN-2003-0961:

An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk() function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

CAN-2003-0985:

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

CAN-2004-0077:

Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl discovered a critical security vulnerability in the memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2) system call. Due to missing function return value check of internal functions a local attacker can gain root privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Please note that the source package has to include a lot of updates in order to compile the package, which wasn't possible with the old source package.

For the stable distribution (woody) these problems have been fixed in version 62.1 of kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa.

For the unstable distribution (sid) these problems have been fixed in version 2.4.25-1 of kernel-image-2.4.25-hppa.

We recommend that you upgrade your Linux kernel packages immediately.

Upgrade Instructions
---------------------

wget url
will fetch the file for you
dpkg -i file.deb
will install the referenced file.

If you are using the apt-get package manager, use the line for sources.list as given below:

apt-get update
will update the internal database
apt-get upgrade
will install corrected packages

You may use an automated update by adding the resources from the footer to the proper configuration.

Debian GNU/Linux 3.0 alias woody
---------------------------------

Source archives:

http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa_62.1.dsc
Size/MD5 checksum: 713 b04fb5bfad0a9a46fcda5e0afe95d2ac
http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa_62.1.tar.gz
Size/MD5 checksum: 29943063 7c7e44c64bb8e69800469e5143e4a315

Architecture independent components:

http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-source-2.4.18-hppa_62.1_all.deb
Size/MD5 checksum: 24090548 5b9c3bd3702f00b4a5f1a52d641dbb4d

HP Precision architecture:

http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-headers-2.4.18-hppa_62.1_hppa.deb
Size/MD5 checksum: 3503082 9cd62749253e897d5b901e5018e471f7
http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-image-2.4.18-32_62.1_hppa.deb
Size/MD5 checksum: 2774300 f32542b074f6a272b7c31685a2e96060
http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-image-2.4.18-32-smp_62.1_hppa.deb
Size/MD5 checksum: 2913666 878bcc9861b13e7e063dd6570aa53bdb
http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-image-2.4.18-64_62.1_hppa.deb
Size/MD5 checksum: 3074252 b5e96c96b464f2740eaf08513216e205
http://security.debian.org/pool/updates/main/k/kernel-image-2.4.18-hppa/kernel-image-2.4.18-64-smp_62.1_hppa.deb
Size/MD5 checksum: 3215442 702faf5c0bf94fbcb9883c5c2601a5c4

These files will probably be moved into the stable distribution on its next revision.