Moderate: systemtap security update

Related Vulnerabilities: CVE-2009-0784   CVE-2009-0784  

Synopsis

Moderate: systemtap security update

Type/Severity

Security Advisory: Moderate

Topic

Updated systemtap packages that fix a security issue are now available for
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and 5.

This update has been rated as having moderate security impact by the Red
Hat Security Response Team.

Description

SystemTap is an instrumentation infrastructure for systems running version
2.6 of the Linux kernel. SystemTap scripts can collect system operations
data, greatly simplifying information gathering. Collected data can then
assist in performance measuring, functional testing, and performance and
function problem diagnosis.

A race condition was discovered in SystemTap that could allow users in the
stapusr group to elevate privileges to that of members of the stapdev group
(and hence root), bypassing directory confinement restrictions and allowing
them to insert arbitrary SystemTap kernel modules. (CVE-2009-0784)

Note: This issue was only exploitable if another SystemTap kernel module
was placed in the "systemtap/" module directory for the currently running
kernel.

Red Hat would like to thank Erik Sjolund for reporting this issue.

SystemTap users should upgrade to these updated packages, which contain a
backported patch to correct this issue.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released
errata relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use
the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 ia64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support 5.3 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support 5.3 ia64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support 5.3 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support 4.7 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support 4.7 ia64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support 4.7 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 5.3 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 5.3 ia64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 5.3 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 ia64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 i386
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 5.3 s390x
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 4 ppc
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 5.3 ppc
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 4.7 ppc
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

  • BZ - 489808 - CVE-2009-0784 systemtap: race condition leads to privilege escalation

CVEs

References