Overly broad permissions can turn one compromised account into a much larger security problem. Learn how to reduce unnecessary access, review privileges, and apply least privilege across modern Linux systems. Review Linux Privileges×

Alerts This Week
Warning Icon 1 524
Alerts This Week
Warning Icon 1 524

RHEL 5.8 RHSA-2012-0150-03 Moderate: Kernel Denial of Service Threat

red hat
Calendar Grey February 21, 2012
Scroller Redhat
The guidance issued by Red Hat for the RHEL 5.8 kernel pertains to a security vulnerability classified as moderate and includes updates to improve software functionality.
Updated kernel packages that fix one security issue, address several hundred bugs, and add numerous enhancements are now available as part of the ongoing support and maintenance of...

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

To install kernel packages manually, use "rpm -ivh [package]". Do not use "rpm -Uvh" as that will remove the running kernel binaries from your system. You may use "rpm -e" to remove old kernels after determining that the new kernel functions properly on your system.

Summary

The kernel packages contain the Linux kernel, the core of any Linux operating system.
This update fixes the following security issue:
* A flaw was found in the way the Linux kernel's Event Poll (epoll) subsystem handled large, nested epoll structures. A local, unprivileged user could use this flaw to cause a denial of service. (CVE-2011-1083, Moderate)
Red Hat would like to thank Nelson Elhage for reporting this issue.
These updated kernel packages include a number of bug fixes and enhancements. Space precludes documenting all of these changes in this advisory. Users are directed to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.8 Technical Notes, linked to in the References, for information on the most significant of these changes.
All Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 users are advised to install these updated packages, which correct these issues and add these enhancements. The system must be rebooted for this update to take effect.

References

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/CVE-2011-1083 https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification#moderate https://access.redhat.com/search/

Package List

Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop (v. 5 client):
Source:
i386: kernel-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-PAE-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-PAE-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-PAE-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-debug-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-debug-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-debug-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-debuginfo-common-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-headers-2.6.18-308.el5.i386.rpm kernel-xen-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-xen-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-xen-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm
noarch: kernel-doc-2.6.18-308.el5.noarch.rpm
x86_64: kernel-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-debug-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-debug-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-debug-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-debuginfo-common-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-headers-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-xen-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-xen-debuginfo-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm kernel-xen-devel-2.6.18-308.el5.x86_64.rpm
Red Hat Enterprise Linux (v. 5 server):
Source:
i386: kernel-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm kernel-PAE-2.6.18-308.el5.i686.rpm

Read the Full Advisory


Advisory ID: RHSA-2012:0150-03
Product: Red Hat Enterprise Linux
Issue date: 2012-02-21

Topic

Updated kernel packages that fix one security issue, address severalhundred bugs, and add numerous enhancements are now available as part ofthe ongoing support and maintenance of Red Hat Enterprise Linux version 5.This is the eighth regular update.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.

Relevant Releases Architectures

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

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

Bugs Fixed

485173 - kernel/module-verify-sig.c with memory uncleaned bug

516170 - kernel multipath driver behaves badly on medium errors526862 - [RHEL5 Xen]: Mask out CPU features by default

543064 - No NUMA node hash function found on a EX machine

571737 - Cannot use Quickcam Pro 9000 with Ekiga, fails with "uvcvideo: Failed to query ..."

585935 - Bug in RHEL-5.4/5.5 nfs_access_cache_shrinker

608156 - kernel panic if bonding initialization fails

618317 - RFE: RHEL5 Xen: support online dynamic resize of guest virtual disks

664653 - [5.4] OS cannot recognize DVD disk replace in rescue mode.

668027 - unexpected error message when sending a unsolicited NA from user code

668529 - Spare disk added to a raid1 array by mdadm command is dropped upon next boot.

674663 - vlapic: Fix possible guest tick losing after save/restore

681578 - CVE-2011-1083 kernel: excessive in kernel CPU consumption when creating large nested epoll structures

681902 - GFS2: Add readahead to sequential directory traversal

683372 - NFS4: Incorrect server behavior when using OPEN call with O_CREATE on a directory on which the process has no WRITE permissions.

688673 - PCI Virtual Function Passthrough - SR-IOV, Paravirt Guest fails to obtain IRQ after reboot

688791 - dropwatch>stop: Waiting for deactivation ack (forever)

691087 - Incorrect values in /proc/sys/vm/dirty_writeback_centises and dirty_expire_centisecs

Read the Full Advisory

Get the latest News and Insights

Get the latest Linux and open source security news straight to your inbox.