This week, advisories were released for webcalendar, libwpd, lookup-el, openoffice, openafs, tcpdump,asterisk, postgresql, thunderbird, LTSP, LSAT, php, Mozilla, wordpress, nufw, libwpd, nas, openafs, libwpd, php, libwpd, Inkscape, file, and mysql. The distributors include Debain, Gentoo, Mandriva, Red Hat, SuSE, and Ubuntu.


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LinuxSecurity.com Feature Extras:

    RFID with Bio-Smart Card in Linux - In this paper, we describe the integration of fingerprint template and RF smart card for clustered network, which is designed on Linux platform and Open source technology to obtain biometrics security. Combination of smart card and biometrics has achieved in two step authentication where smart card authentication is based on a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and the card holder is authenticated using the biometrics template stored in the smart card that is based on the fingerprint verification. The fingerprint verification has to be executed on central host server for security purposes. Protocol designed allows controlling entire parameters of smart security controller like PIN options, Reader delay, real-time clock, alarm option and cardholder access conditions.

    Linux File & Directory Permissions Mistakes - One common mistake Linux administrators make is having file and directory permissions that are far too liberal and allow access beyond that which is needed for proper system operations. A full explanation of unix file permissions is beyond the scope of this article, so I'll assume you are familiar with the usage of such tools as chmod, chown, and chgrp. If you'd like a refresher, one is available right here on linuxsecurity.com.

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Thank you for reading the LinuxSecurity.com weekly security newsletter. The purpose of this document is to provide our readers with a quick summary of each week's most relevant Linux security headline.


Debian
Debian: New webcalendar packages fix remote file inclusion
15th, March, 2007

Updated package.

advisories/debian/debian-new-webcalendar-packages-fix-remote-file-inclusion
Debian: New libwpd packages fix arbitrary code execution
17th, March, 2007

Updated package.

advisories/debian/debian-new-libwpd-packages-fix-arbitrary-code-execution
Debian: New lookup-el packages fix insecure temporary file
18th, March, 2007

Updated package.

advisories/debian/debian-new-lookup-el-packages-fix-insecure-temporary-file
Debian: New OpenOffice.org packages fix several vulnerabilities
20th, March, 2007

Several security related problems have been discovered in OpenOffice.org, the free office suite. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems.

advisories/debian/debian-new-openofficeorg-packages-fix-several-vulnerabilities-56304
Debian: New openafs packages fix remote privilege escalation bug
20th, March, 2007

A design error has been identified in the OpenAFS, a cross-platform distributed filesystem included with Debian. It's possible for an attacker with knowledge of AFS to forge an AFS FetchStatus call and make an arbitrary binary file appear to an AFS client host to be setuid. If they can then arrange for that binary to be executed, they will be able to achieve privilege escalation.

advisories/debian/debian-new-openafs-packages-fix-remote-privilege-escalation-bug
Debian: New tcpdump packages fix denial of service
22nd, March, 2007

Moritz Jodeit discovered an off-by-one buffer overflow in tcpdump, a powerful tool for network monitoring and data acquisition, which allows denial of service.

advisories/debian/debian-new-tcpdump-packages-fix-denial-of-service-57234
Gentoo
Gentoo: Asterisk SIP Denial of Service
16th, March, 2007

Asterisk is vulnerable to Denial of Service in the SIP channel.

Gentoo: PostgreSQL Multiple vulnerabilities
16th, March, 2007

PostgreSQL contains two vulnerabilities that could result in a Denial of Service or unauthorized access to certain information.

Gentoo: Apache JK Tomcat Connector Remote execution of arbitrary code
16th, March, 2007

The Apache Tomcat Connector (mod_jk) contains a buffer overflow vulnerability that could result in the remote execution of arbitrary code.

Gentoo: ulogd Remote execution of arbitrary code
18th, March, 2007

ulogd contains a possible buffer overflow potentially allowing for the remote execution of arbitrary code.

Gentoo: Mozilla Thunderbird Multiple vulnerabilities
18th, March, 2007

Multiple vulnerabilities have been reported in Mozilla Thunderbird, some of which may allow user-assisted arbitrary remote code execution.

Gentoo: LTSP Authentication bypass in included LibVNCServer code
18th, March, 2007

LTSP includes a version of libVNCServer that is vulnerable to an authentication bypass.

Gentoo: LSAT Insecure temporary file creation
18th, March, 2007

LSAT insecurely creates temporary files which can lead to symlink attacks allowing a local user to overwrite arbitrary files.

Gentoo: PHP Multiple vulnerabilities
20th, March, 2007

PHP contains several vulnerabilities including a heap buffer overflow, potentially leading to the remote execution of arbitrary code under certain conditions.

Gentoo: Mozilla Network Security Service Remote execution of arbitrary code
20th, March, 2007

The Mozilla Network Security Services libraries are vulnerable to two buffer overflows that could result in the remote execution of arbitrary code.

Gentoo: WordPress Multiple vulnerabilities
20th, March, 2007

Wordpress contains several cross-site scripting, cross-site request forgery and information leak vulnerabilities.

Mandriva
Mandriva: Updated nufw packages fix various bugs
15th, March, 2007

Updated package.

Mandriva: Updated libwpd packages to address heap overflow vulnerabilities
16th, March, 2007

iDefense reported several overflow bugs in libwpd. An attacker could create a carefully crafted Word Perfect file that could cause an application linked with libwpd, such as OpenOffice, to crash or possibly execute arbitrary code if the file was opened by a victim. Updated packages have been patched to address this issue.

Mandriva: Updated openoffice.org packages to address libwpd heap overflow vulnerabilities
16th, March, 2007

iDefense reported several overflow bugs in libwpd. An attacker could create a carefully crafted Word Perfect file that could cause an application linked with libwpd, such as OpenOffice, to crash or possibly execute arbitrary code if the file was opened by a victim. OpenOffice.org-2.X contains an embedded copy of libpwd, and as such is susceptible to the same issues. Updated packages have been rebuilt using the system libwpd to address this issue.

Mandriva: Updated nas packages address multiple vulnerabilities
20th, March, 2007

Luigi Auriemma discovered a number of problems with the nas (Network Audio System) daemon that could be used to crash nasd. Updated packages have been patched to address this issue.

Mandriva: Updated OpenAFS packages address vulnerability
20th, March, 2007

By default, OpenAFS prior to 1.44 and 1.5.17 supports setuid programs within the local cell, which could allow attackers to obtain privileges. Updated packages have been patched to address this issue.

Red Hat
RedHat: Important: libwpd security update
16th, March, 2007

Updated libwpd packages to correct a security issue are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5. This update has been rated as having important security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team.

advisories/red-hat/redhat-important-libwpd-security-update-RHSA-2007-0055-01
SuSE
SuSE: php security problems
15th, March, 2007

Updated package.

SuSE: Linux kernel (SUSE-SA:2007:021)
16th, March, 2007

Updated package.

SuSE: Mozilla security problems
20th, March, 2007

Updated package.

SuSE: OpenOffice,libwpd security problems
21st, March, 2007

Several security problems were fixed in the Wordperfect converter library libwpd and OpenOffice_org.

Ubuntu
Ubuntu: libwpd vulnerability
19th, March, 2007

Sean Larsson of iDefense Labs discovered that libwpd was vulnerable to integer overflows. If a user were tricked into opening a specially crafted WordPerfect document with an application that used libwpd, an attacker could execute arbitrary code with user privileges.

advisories/ubuntu/ubuntu-libwpd-vulnerability
Ubuntu: Inkscape vulnerability
20th, March, 2007

A flaw was discovered in Inkscape's use of format strings. If a user were tricked into opening a specially crafted URI in Inkscape, a remote attacker could execute arbitrary code with user privileges.

advisories/ubuntu/ubuntu-inkscape-vulnerability
Ubuntu: file vulnerability
21st, March, 2007

Jean-Sebastien Guay-Leroux discovered that "file" did not correctly check the size of allocated heap memory. If a user were tricked into examining a specially crafted file with the "file" utility, a remote attacker could execute arbitrary code with user privileges.

advisories/ubuntu/ubuntu-file-vulnerability
Ubuntu: MySQL vulnerability
21st, March, 2007

Stefan Streichbier and B. Mueller of SEC Consult discovered that MySQL subselect queries using "ORDER BY" could be made to crash the MySQL server. An attacker with access to a MySQL instance could cause an intermitant denial of service.

advisories/ubuntu/ubuntu-mysql-vulnerability