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Home : Advisories : modules - local root compromise

Title: modules - local root compromise
Released by: SuSE
Date: 13th November 2000
Printable version: Click here
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----



______________________________________________________________________________



                        SuSE Security Announcement



        Package:                modules

        Announcement-ID:        SuSE-SA:2000:44

        Date:                   Monday, November 13th, 2000 10:00 MEST

        Affected SuSE versions: 6.4, 7.0

        Vulnerability Type:     local root compromise

        Severity (1-10):        8

        SuSE default package:   yes

        Other affected systems: many newer Linux distributions



    Content of this advisory:

        1) security vulnerability resolved: modprobe shell metacharacter

                                            expansion

           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 modules package is responsible for on-demand loading of kernel

    modules/drivers. The /sbin/modprobe command, when executed as a new

    task by the kernel-internal function request_module(), runs with the

    priviledges of the init process, usually root.

    Newer versions of the modprobe program contain a bug

    which allows local users to gain root priviledges. modprobe expands

    given arguments via /bin/echo and can easily be tricked into executing

    commands. In order for this bug to be exploitable, a setuid root program

    must be installed that can trigger the loading of modules (such as ping6).



    The fix for this bug consists of a change to modprobe which disables

    the expansion of arguments to modprobe via /bin/echo.



    A temporary workaround for this bug is to disable the automatic loading

    of modules in the running kernel by running the command (as root)



        /sbin/sysctl -w kernel.modprobe=/

    or

        echo "/" > /proc/sys/kernel/modprobe



    Please note that this temporary workaround will have to be repeated

    after the next reboot to become effective again.



    Download the update package from locations desribed below and install

    the package with the command `rpm -Uhv file.rpm'. The md5sum for each

    file is in the line below. You can verify the integrity of the rpm

    files using the command

        `rpm --checksig --nogpg file.rpm',

    independently from the md5 signatures below.





    i386 Intel Platform:



    SuSE-7.0

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/7.0/a1/modules-2.3.11-73.i386.rpm

      9643216a1e0c147635ef62d894a9d7ad



    source rpm:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/7.0/zq1/modules.spm

    Due to a packaging error, the modules package source rpm is not

    available on our ftp servers yet. It will appear at the location above

    in very few hours.





    SuSE-6.4

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/6.4/a1/modules-2.3.9-63.i386.rpm

      d3a95b93e549aae9a462e84d179efe45



    source rpm:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/i386/update/6.4/zq1/modules.spm

    Due to a packaging error, the modules package source rpm is not

    available on our ftp servers yet. It will appear at the location above

    in very few hours.





    Sparc Platform:



    SuSE-7.0

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/sparc/update/7.0/a1/modules-2.3.11-73.sparc.rpm

      c0ab9aab7a61cefdb2cade98c663d4e3



    source rpm:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/sparc/update/7.0/zq1/modules.spm

    Due to a packaging error, the modules package source rpm is not

    available on our ftp servers yet. It will appear at the location above

    in very few hours.





    AXP Alpha Platform:



    SuSE-6.4

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/axp/update/6.4/a1/modules-2.3.9-63.alpha.rpm

      a88b84d7f3d79f2a47ff9e78681a0390



    source rpm:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/axp/update/6.4/zq1/modules.spm

    Due to a packaging error, the modules package source rpm is not

    available on our ftp servers yet. It will appear at the location above

    in very few hours.





    PPC Power PC Platform:



    SuSE-7.0:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/7.0/a1/modules-2.3.11-73.ppc.rpm

      ef09b5c6438a0de8e18653e0a60d9c4c



    source rpm:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/7.0/zq1/modules.spm

    Due to a packaging error, the modules package source rpm is not

    available on our ftp servers yet. It will appear at the location above

    in very few hours.



    SuSE-6.4

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/6.4/a1/modules-2.3.9-63.ppc.rpm

      27ba13500292c44969dd865f0c543c19



    source rpm:

    http://ftp.suse.com/pub/suse/ppc/update/6.4/zq1/modules.spm

    Due to a packaging error, the modules package source rpm is not

    available on our ftp servers yet. It will appear at the location above

    in very few hours.





______________________________________________________________________________



2)  Pending vulnerabilities in SuSE Distributions and Workarounds:



    A seperate message is being prepared to address the currently ongoing

    security vulnerabilites.

______________________________________________________________________________



3)  standard appendix:



    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-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

                .



    For general information or the frequently asked questions (faq)

    send mail to:

         or

         respectively.



    ===============================================

    SuSE's security contact is .

    ===============================================



Regards,

Sebastian Krahmer



______________________________________________________________________________



    The information in this advisory may be distributed or reproduced,

    provided that the advisory is not modified in any way.

    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  2048/3D25D3D9 1999/03/06 SuSE Security Team 



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