SuSE Linux Announcement: sysconfig

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SuSE: “The ifup-dhcp script which is part of the sysconfig package is responsible
for setting up network-devices using configuration data obtained from a
DHCP server by the dhcpcd DHCP client. It is possible for remote attackers
to feed this script with evil data via spoofed DHCP replies for example.
This way ifup-dhcp could be tricked into executing arbitrary commands as
root. The ifup-dhcp shellscript has been fixed to not source the file
containing the possible evil data anymore.”


____________________________________________________________________________

                        SuSE Security Announcement

        Package:                sysconfig
        Announcement-ID:        SuSE-SA:2002:016
        Date:                   Wed May  8 12:00:00 MEST 2002
        Affected products:      8.0
        Vulnerability Type:     remote command execution
        Severity (1-10):        4
        SuSE default package:   Yes.
        Other affected systems: No.

    Content of this advisory:
        1) security vulnerability resolved: Quotation problem in ifup-dhcp.
           problem description, discussion, solution and upgrade information
        2) pending vulnerabilities, solutions, workarounds
        3) standard appendix (further information)

____________________________________________________________________________

1)  problem description, brief discussion, solution, upgrade information

    The ifup-dhcp script which is part of the sysconfig package is responsible
    for setting up network-devices using configuration data obtained from a
    DHCP server by the dhcpcd DHCP client. It is possible for remote attackers
    to feed this script with evil data via spoofed DHCP replies for example.
    This way ifup-dhcp could be tricked into executing arbitrary commands as
    root. The ifup-dhcp shellscript has been fixed to not source the file
    containing the possible evil data anymore.
        Even though the sysconfig package is installed by default, this problem
    only affects systems with certain dhcp network-setups so only users using
    DHCP should update their sysconfig package.

    Please download the update package for your distribution and verify its
    integrity by the methods listed in section 3) of this announcement.
    Then, install the package using the command "rpm -Fhv file.rpm" to apply
    the update.
    Our maintenance customers are being notified individually. The packages
    are being offered to install from the maintenance web.

    i386 Intel Platform:

    SuSE-8.0
    ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/8.0/a1/sysconfig-0.23.14-60.i386.rpm
4d6a9f1a3e1a461ebbea9a6e98f4e894
    source rpm:
    ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/8.0/zq1/sysconfig-0.23.14-60.src.rpm
d0fdfe02cfc9b7fc32fed8da6c16cf9d

____________________________________________________________________________

2)  Pending vulnerabilities in SuSE Distributions and Workarounds:

    - mozilla/netscape
    The mozilla browser in version 0.9.7 or higher and the netscape browser
    in version 6.1 or higher contain a flaw which allows remote sites
    to read arbitrary files if the user running the browser has the
    permission to do so. Fixed packages for the mozilla browser will be
    available soon on our ftp-servers. Patches for the affected netscape
    browser are not yet available due to missing fixes from Netscape.

    - xpilot
    It has been reported that the xpilot server contains a buffer-overflow
    which allows remote attackers to execute arbitrary commands as the user
    running the server. The overflow has been fixed and new xpilot packages
    are available on our ftp-servers. Please update to the newest xpilot
    packages if you used to run this program.

____________________________________________________________________________

3)  standard appendix: authenticity verification, additional information

  - Package authenticity verification:

    SuSE update packages are available on many mirror ftp servers all over
    the world. While this service is being considered valuable and important
    to the free and open source software community, many users wish to be
    sure about the origin of the package and its content before installing
    the package. There are two verification methods that can be used
    independently from each other to prove the authenticity of a downloaded
    file or rpm package:
    1) md5sums as provided in the (cryptographically signed) announcement.
    2) using the internal gpg signatures of the rpm package.

    1) execute the command
        md5sum <name-of-the-file.rpm>
after you downloaded the file from a SuSE ftp server or its mirrors.
       Then, compare the resulting md5sum with the one that is listed in the
       announcement. Since the announcement containing the checksums is
       cryptographically signed (usually using the key security@suse.de),
       the checksums show proof of the authenticity of the package.
       We disrecommend to subscribe to security lists which cause the
       email message containing the announcement to be modified so that
       the signature does not match after transport through the mailing
       list software.
       Downsides: You must be able to verify the authenticity of the
       announcement in the first place. If RPM packages are being rebuilt
       and a new version of a package is published on the ftp server, all
       md5 sums for the files are useless.

    2) rpm package signatures provide an easy way to verify the authenticity
       of an rpm package. Use the command
        rpm -v --checksig <file.rpm>
to verify the signature of the package, where <file.rpm> is the
       filename of the rpm package that you have downloaded. Of course,
       package authenticity verification can only target an uninstalled rpm
       package file.
       Prerequisites:
        a) gpg is installed
        b) The package is signed using a certain key. The public part of this
           key must be installed by the gpg program in the directory
           ~/.gnupg/ under the user's home directory who performs the
           signature verification (usually root). You can import the key
           that is used by SuSE in rpm packages for SuSE Linux by saving
           this announcement to a file ("announcement.txt") and
           running the command (do "su -" to be root):
            gpg --batch; gpg < announcement.txt | gpg --import
           SuSE Linux distributions version 7.1 and thereafter install the
           key "build@suse.de" upon installation or upgrade, provided that
           the package gpg is installed. The file containing the public key
           is placed at the toplevel directory of the first CD (pubring.gpg)
           and at ftp://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/pubring.gpg-build.suse.de .

  - SuSE runs two security mailing lists to which any interested party may
    subscribe:

    suse-security@suse.com
-   general/linux/SuSE security discussion.
            All SuSE security announcements are sent to this list.
            To subscribe, send an email to
                <suse-security-subscribe@suse.com>.

    suse-security-announce@suse.com
-   SuSE's announce-only mailing list.
            Only SuSE's security annoucements are sent to this list.
            To subscribe, send an email to
                <suse-security-announce-subscribe@suse.com>.

    For general information or the frequently asked questions (faq)
    send mail to:
        <suse-security-info@suse.com> or
        <suse-security-faq@suse.com> respectively.

    =====================================================================
    SuSE's security contact is <security@suse.com> or <security@suse.de>.
    The <security@suse.de> public key is listed below.
    =====================================================================
____________________________________________________________________________

    The information in this advisory may be distributed or reproduced,
    provided that the advisory is not modified in any way. In particular,
    it is desired that the cleartext signature shows proof of the
    authenticity of the text.
    SuSE GmbH makes no warranties of any kind whatsoever with respect
    to the information contained in this security advisory.

Type Bits/KeyID    Date       User ID
pub  2048R/3D25D3D9 1999-03-06 SuSE Security Team <security@suse.de>
pub  1024D/9C800ACA 2000-10-19 SuSE Package Signing Key <build@suse.de>

Category:

  • Security