Red Hat Security Advisory: at | Linux Today

Red Hat Security Advisory: at

Written By
Web Webster
Web Webster
Jan 23, 2002
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                   Red Hat, Inc. Red Hat Security Advisory

Synopsis:          Updated at package available
Advisory ID:       RHSA-2002:015-13
Issue date:        2002-01-15
Updated on:        2002-01-22
Product:           Red Hat Linux
Keywords:          at security heap corruption environment
Cross references:  
Obsoletes:         
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1. Topic:

This updated at package fixes two minor problems and one major
problem where the environment can get wiped out prior to the execution of a
scheduled command.

For versions of Red Hat Linux prior to 7.2, this package also fixes a
potential security vulnerability which can result in heap corruption (Red
Hat Linux 7.2 is not vulnerable to this security exploit).

2. Relevant releases/architectures:

Red Hat Linux 6.2 - alpha, i386, sparc

Red Hat Linux 7.0 - alpha, i386

Red Hat Linux 7.1 - alpha, i386, ia64

Red Hat Linux 7.2 - i386, ia64

3. Problem description:

A server running the latest version of at could have commands 
that depend on the current environment (for example, the PATH) which would
then fail or run incorrectly because the environment would not be
accessible when the command was executed at a later time.

Additionally, in versions of Red Hat Linux prior to 7.2 a malicious local
user could specify an execution time is in a carefully drafted format
causing a heap corruption bug.  Since the at command is installed as setuid
root this bug can be exploited.

The Common Vulnerabilities  and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org/) has
assigned the name CAN-2002-0004 to this issue.  Thanks to zen-parse for
reporting this vulnerability.

In addition to the fixed heap corruption, file handling security on all
versions of at has been improved by adding the O_EXCL (exclusive) option to
an open system call.

4. Solution:

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

To update all RPMs for your particular architecture, run:

rpm -Fvh [filenames]

where [filenames] is a list of the RPMs you wish to upgrade.  Only those
RPMs which are currently installed will be updated.  Those RPMs which are
not installed but included in the list will not be updated.  Note that you
can also use wildcards (*.rpm) if your current directory only contains
the desired RPMs.

Please note that this update is also available via Red Hat Network.  Many
people find this an easier way to apply updates.  To use Red Hat Network,
launch the Red Hat Update Agent with the following command:

up2date

This will start an interactive process that will result in the appropriate
RPMs being upgraded on your system.

5. Bug IDs fixed (http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla for more info):

49491 - all environment is wiped out prior to executing user command
51253 - Wrong pointer to time syntax in man page
52626 - "at" RPM says that /var/spool/at/.SEQ should be executable

6. RPMs required:

Red Hat Linux 6.2:

SRPMS:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/6.2/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-22.1.src.rpm

alpha:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/6.2/en/os/alpha/at-3.1.8-22.1.alpha.rpm

i386:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/6.2/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-22.1.i386.rpm

sparc:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/6.2/en/os/sparc/at-3.1.8-22.1.sparc.rpm

Red Hat Linux 7.0:

SRPMS:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.0/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-23.src.rpm

alpha:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.0/en/os/alpha/at-3.1.8-23.alpha.rpm

i386:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.0/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-23.i386.rpm

Red Hat Linux 7.1:

SRPMS:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.1/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-23.src.rpm

alpha:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.1/en/os/alpha/at-3.1.8-23.alpha.rpm

i386:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.1/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-23.i386.rpm

ia64:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.1/en/os/ia64/at-3.1.8-23.ia64.rpm

Red Hat Linux 7.2:

SRPMS:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.2/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-23.src.rpm

i386:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.2/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-23.i386.rpm

ia64:
ftp://updates.redhat.com/7.2/en/os/ia64/at-3.1.8-23.ia64.rpm



7. Verification:

MD5 sum                          Package Name
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
5b1f2e0e4550656350e4b62dfe8ef81a 6.2/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-22.1.src.rpm
80d3f915ed8a399e410bbf67ce0ec2c1 6.2/en/os/alpha/at-3.1.8-22.1.alpha.rpm
bd561541cff149adfd32e5a10d668a8f 6.2/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-22.1.i386.rpm
4addbc688eb427e6b311aed8fb10f07e 6.2/en/os/sparc/at-3.1.8-22.1.sparc.rpm
b1f62f4b41e12a54a1f73d639363a638 7.0/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-23.src.rpm
97e27a1d2dc0f08d8f118209a891689a 7.0/en/os/alpha/at-3.1.8-23.alpha.rpm
ea793fd803f10c8fa66abb8191fefb9b 7.0/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-23.i386.rpm
b1f62f4b41e12a54a1f73d639363a638 7.1/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-23.src.rpm
97e27a1d2dc0f08d8f118209a891689a 7.1/en/os/alpha/at-3.1.8-23.alpha.rpm
ea793fd803f10c8fa66abb8191fefb9b 7.1/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-23.i386.rpm
8fed88d53824e98f509289c42ea01237 7.1/en/os/ia64/at-3.1.8-23.ia64.rpm
b1f62f4b41e12a54a1f73d639363a638 7.2/en/os/SRPMS/at-3.1.8-23.src.rpm
ea793fd803f10c8fa66abb8191fefb9b 7.2/en/os/i386/at-3.1.8-23.i386.rpm
8fed88d53824e98f509289c42ea01237 7.2/en/os/ia64/at-3.1.8-23.ia64.rpm
 

These packages are GPG signed by Red Hat, Inc. for security.  Our key
is available at:
    http://www.redhat.com/about/contact/pgpkey.html

You can verify each package with the following command:
    rpm --checksig  <filename>

If you only wish to verify that each package has not been corrupted or
tampered with, examine only the md5sum with the following command:
    rpm --checksig --nogpg <filename>

8. References:

http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CAN-2002-0004


Copyright(c) 2000, 2001, 2002 Red Hat, Inc.
Web Webster

Web Webster

Web Webster has more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience in the tech sector. He’s written and edited news, demand generation, user-focused, and thought leadership content for business software solutions, consumer tech, and Linux Today, he edits and writes for a portfolio of tech industry news and analysis websites including webopedia.com, and DatabaseJournal.com.

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