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Red Hat Linux 5.2: RHSA-2000:058-03 Critical: Screen Format String Exploit

Security hole in screen in Red Hat Linux 5.2 and earlier releases. ` --------------------------------------------------------------------- Red Hat, Inc. Security Advisory Synopsis: Format string exploit in screen Advisory ID: RHSA-2000:058-03 Issue date: 2000-09-07 Updated on: 2000-09-07 Product: Red Hat Linux Keywords: screen exploit format Cross references: N/A --------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Topic: Security hole in screen in Red Hat Linux 5.2 and earlier releases 2. Relevant releases/architectures: Red Hat Linux 5.2 - i386, i586, i686, alpha, sparc, sparc64, sparcv9 3. Problem description: Screen allows the user to overload the visual bell with a text message that can be set by the user. This text message is handled as a format string, instead of as a pure string, so maliciously written format strings are allowed to overwrite the stack. Since screen in Red Hat Linux 5.2 and earlier releases was setuid root, this security hole could be exploited to gain a root shell. 4. Solution: For each RPM for your particular architecture, run: rpm -Fvh [filename] where filename is the name of the RPM. 5. Bug IDs fixed ( for more info): N/A 6. RPMs required: Red Hat Linux 5.2: sparc: alpha: i386: sources: 7. Verification: MD5 sum Package Name -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 106a9d1487815b84307182b6ace4eddd 5.2/SRPMS/screen-3.7.4-4.src.rpm 40d13c23ade8c8e9117dd7ff6c9723c9 5.2/alpha/screen-3.7.4-4.alpha.rpm 06bc8d4a829aee9cc21696aaa611771a 5.2/i386/screen-3.7.4-4.i386.rpm 6501aefe36c2f38cc1337c14141b0993 5.2/sparc/screen-3.7.4-4.sparc.rpm These packages are GPG signed by Red Hat, Inc. for security. Our key is available at: You can verify each package with the following command: rpm --checksig If you only wish to verify that each package has not been corrupted or tampered with, examine only the md5sumwith the following command: rpm --checksig --nogpg 8. References: N/A Copyright(c) 2000 Red Hat, Inc. `. A critical format string vulnerability found in the Echo tool for Fedora Linux 4 and older. Swift action is required to protect systems from possible risks and threats. Screen Exploit, Red Hat Security, Format String Exploit. . Severity: Critical. LinuxSecurity.com Team

Sep 14, 2000 •Critical Red Hat