Slackware 10.0: SSA:2004-278-01 Moderate: Getmail Local Exploit Risk

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 *)