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Red Hat Enterprise Linux: RHSA-2011:1377 Moderate: PostgreSQL Hashing Flaw

red hat
Calendar Grey October 17, 2011
Dist Redhat Esm H88
Crucial patch released for MySQL on CentOS platforms rectifying severe authentication vulnerability.
Updated postgresql packages that fix one security issue are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5, and 6

Solution

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

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

Summary

PostgreSQL is an advanced object-relational database management system (DBMS).
A signedness issue was found in the way the crypt() function in the PostgreSQL pgcrypto module handled 8-bit characters in passwords when using Blowfish hashing. Up to three characters immediately preceding a non-ASCII character (one with the high bit set) had no effect on the hash result, thus shortening the effective password length. This made brute-force guessing more efficient as several different passwords were hashed to the same value. (CVE-2011-2483)
Note: Due to the CVE-2011-2483 fix, after installing this update some usersmay not be able to log in to applications that store user passwords, hashed with Blowfish using the PostgreSQL crypt() function, in a back-end PostgreSQL database. Unsafe processing can be re-enabled for specific passwords (allowing affected users to log in) by changing their hash prefix to "$2x$".
For Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6, the updated postgresql packages upgrade PostgreSQL to version 8.4.9. Refer to the PostgreSQL Release Notes for a full list of changes:
https://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.4/release.html
For Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and 5, the updated postgresql packages contain a backported patch.
All PostgreSQL users are advised to upgrade to these updated packages, which correct this issue. If the postgresql service is running, it will be automatically restarted after installing this update.

Topics%20covered

Topics Covered

security advisory Red Hat Enterprise moderate security password hashing postgresql update

References

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-2483 https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification#moderate https://www.postgresql.org/docs/8.4/release.html

Package List

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4:
Source:
i386: postgresql-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-contrib-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-debuginfo-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-devel-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-docs-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-jdbc-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-libs-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-pl-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-python-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-server-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-tcl-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-test-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm
ia64: postgresql-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-contrib-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-debuginfo-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-debuginfo-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-devel-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-docs-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-jdbc-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-libs-7.4.30-3.el4.i386.rpm postgresql-libs-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-pl-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-python-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-server-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-tcl-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm postgresql-test-7.4.30-3.el4.ia64.rpm
ppc: postgresql-7.4.30-3.el4.ppc.rpm postgresql-contrib-7.4.30-3.el4.ppc.rpm postgresql-debuginfo-7.4.30-3.el4.ppc.rpm postgresql-debuginfo-7.4.30-3.el4.ppc64.rpm postgresql-devel-7.4.30-3.el4.ppc.rpm

Read the Full Advisory


Advisory ID: RHSA-2011:1377-01
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Advisory URL: https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2011:1377.html
Issue date: 2011-10-17

Topic

Updated postgresql packages that fix one security issue are now availablefor Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4, 5, and 6.The Red Hat Security Response Team has rated this update as having moderatesecurity impact. A Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) base score,which gives a detailed severity rating, is available from the CVE link inthe References section.

Topics%20covered

Topics Covered

security advisory Red Hat Enterprise moderate security password hashing postgresql update

Relevant Releases Architectures

RHEL Desktop Workstation (v. 5 client) - i386, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server) - i386, ia64, ppc, s390x, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 - i386, ia64, ppc, s390, s390x, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client) - i386, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 6) - i386, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop Optional (v. 6) - i386, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 - i386, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 - i386, ia64, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux HPC Node Optional (v. 6) - x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server (v. 6) - i386, ppc64, s390x, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 - i386, ia64, x86_64

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation (v. 6) - i386, x86_64

Bugs Fixed

715025 - CVE-2011-2483 crypt_blowfish: 8-bit character mishandling allows different password pairs to produce the same hash

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