GLSA 200901-10 GnuTLS: Certificate validation error

Posted by Bob on: 01/15/2009 12:05 AM [ Print | 0 comment(s) ]

A new security update has been released for Gentoo Linux - GnuTLS: Certificate validation error. Here the announcement:

Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 200901-10
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~ http://security.gentoo.org/
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~ Severity: Normal
~ Title: GnuTLS: Certificate validation error
~ Date: January 14, 2009
~ Bugs: #245850
~ ID: 200901-10

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Synopsis
========

A certificate validation error in GnuTLS might allow for spoofing
attacks.

Background
==========

GnuTLS is an open-source implementation of TLS 1.0 and SSL 3.0.

Affected packages
=================

~ -------------------------------------------------------------------
~ Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected
~ -------------------------------------------------------------------
~ 1 net-libs/gnutls lt; 2.4.1-r2 gt;= 2.4.1-r2

Description
===========

Martin von Gagern reported that the _gnutls_x509_verify_certificate()
function in lib/x509/verify.c trusts certificate chains in which the
last certificate is an arbitrary trusted, self-signed certificate.

Impact
======

A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability and spoof arbitrary
names to conduct Man-In-The-Middle attacks and intercept sensitive
information.

Workaround
==========

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution
==========

All GnuTLS users should upgrade to the latest version:

~ # emerge --sync
~ # emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose "gt;=net-libs/gnutls-2.4.1-r2"

References
==========

~ [ 1 ] CVE-2008-4989
~ http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2008-4989

Availability
============

This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at
the Gentoo Security Website:

~ http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200901-10.xml

Concerns?
=========

Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the
confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost
importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to
security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at
http://bugs.gentoo.org.

License
=======

Copyright 2009 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text
belongs to its owner(s).

The contents of this document are licensed under the
Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license.

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5