Slackware Linux Advisories: zlib, getmail

Oct 05, 2004, 17:29 (0 Talkback[s])

[slackware-security] zlib DoS (SSA:2004-278-02)

New zlib packages are available for Slackware 10.0 and -current to fix a possible denial of service security issue.

More details about this issue may be found in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database:

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2004-797

Here are the details from the Slackware 10.0 ChangeLog:
+--------------------------+
patches/packages/zlib-1.2.2-i486-1.tgz: Upgraded to zlib-1.2.2.
This fixes a possible DoS in earlier versions of zlib-1.2.x.
(* Security fix *)
+--------------------------+

Where to find the new packages:

Updated package for Slackware 10.0:
ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-10.0/patches/packages/zlib-1.2.2-i486-1.tgz

Updated package for Slackware -current:
ftp://ftp.slackware.com/pub/slackware/slackware-current/slackware/l/zlib-1.2.2-i486-1.tgz

MD5 signatures:

Slackware 10.0 package:
dfa40fb5afb988488648fc4b7ef992f0 zlib-1.2.2-i486-1.tgz

Slackware -current package:
011d7257bb879a8159b65b0b06b58bd0 zlib-1.2.2-i486-1.tgz

Installation instructions:

Upgrade the packages as root:
# upgradepkg zlib-1.2.2-i486-1.tgz

+-----+

Slackware Linux Security Team
http://slackware.com/gpg-key
security@slackware.com

[slackware-security] getmail (SSA:2004-278-01)

New getmail packages are available for Slackware 9.1, 10.0 and -current to fix a security issue. If getmail is used as root to deliver to user owned files or directories, it can be made to overwrite system files.

More details about this issue may be found in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database:

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2004-880
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2004-881

Here are the details from the Slackware 10.0 ChangeLog:
+--------------------------+
patches/packages/getmail-4.2.0-noarch-1.tgz: Upgraded to getmaii-4.2.0. Earlier versions contained a local security flaw when used in an insecure fashion (surprise, running something as root that writes to user-controlled files or directories could allow the old symlink attack to clobber system files! :-)
From the getmail CHANGELOG:

This vulnerability is not exploitable if the administrator does not deliver mail to the maildirs/mbox files of untrusted local users, or if getmail is configured to use an external unprivileged MDA. This vulnerability is not remotely exploitable.

Most users would not use getmail in such as way as to be vulnerable to this flaw, but if your site does this package closes the hole. I'd also recommend not using getmail like this. Either run it as the user that owns the target mailbox, or deliver through an external MDA.
(* Security fix *)
+--------------------------+