The mremap system call (do_mremap) in Linux kernel 2.4.x before 2.4.21, and possibly other versions before 2.4.24, does not properly perform bounds checks, which allows local users to cause a denial of service and possibly gain privileges by causing a remapping of a virtual memory area (VMA) to create a zero length VMA, a different vulnerability than CAN-2004-0077.

New kernels are available for Slackware 9.0, 9.1 and -current. The 9.1 and -current kernels have been upgraded to 2.4.24, and a fix has been backported to the 2.4.21 kernels in Slackware 9.0 to fix a bounds-checking problem in the kernel's mremap() call which could be used by a local attacker to gain root privileges. Sites should upgrade to the 2.4.24 kernel and kernel modules. After installing the new kernel, be sure to run 'lilo'.

New kernels are available for Slackware 8.1 containing a backported fix from a bounds-checking problem in the kernel's mremap() call which could be used by a local attacker to gain root privileges. This fix was previously issued for Slackware 9.0, 9.1, and -current (SSA:2004-006-01). Sites running Slackware 8.1 should upgrade to the new kernel. After installing the new kernel, be sure to run 'lilo'.

Several local root exploits have been discovered recently in the Linux kernel. This security advisory updates the PA-RISC kernel 2.4.18 for Debian GNU/Linux. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems that are fixed with this update :

  - CAN-2003-0961 :
    An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk()     function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in     mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x     and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.
    Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

  - CAN-2004-0077 :

    Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl     discovered a critical security vulnerability in the     memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2)     system call. Due to missing function return value check     of internal functions a local attacker can gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Please note that the source package has to include a lot of updates in order to compile the package, which wasn't possible with the old source package.

Several local root exploits have been discovered recently in the Linux kernel. This security advisory updates the hppa kernel 2.4.17 for Debian GNU/Linux. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems that are fixed with this update :

  - CAN-2003-0961 :
    An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk()     function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in     mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x     and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.
    Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

  - CAN-2004-0077 :

    Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl     discovered a critical security vulnerability in the     memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2)     system call. Due to missing function return value check     of internal functions a local attacker can gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Several local root exploits have been discovered recently in the Linux kernel. This security advisory updates the mips kernel 2.4.19 for Debian GNU/Linux. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems that are fixed with this update :

  - CAN-2003-0961 :
    An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk()     function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in     mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x     and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.
    Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

  - CAN-2004-0077 :

    Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl     discovered a critical security vulnerability in the     memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2)     system call. Due to missing function return value check     of internal functions a local attacker can gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Several security related problems have been fixed in the Linux kernel 2.4.17 used for the S/390 architecture, mostly by backporting fixes from 2.4.18 and incorporating recent security fixes. The corrections are listed below with the identification from the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project :

  - CVE-2002-0429 :
    The iBCS routines in arch/i386/kernel/traps.c for Linux     kernels 2.4.18 and earlier on x86 systems allow local     users to kill arbitrary processes via a binary     compatibility interface (lcall).

  - CAN-2003-0001 :

    Multiple ethernet network interface card (NIC) device     drivers do not pad frames with null bytes, which allows     remote attackers to obtain information from previous     packets or kernel memory by using malformed packets, as     demonstrated by Etherleak.

  - CAN-2003-0244 :

    The route cache implementation in Linux 2.4, and the     Netfilter IP conntrack module, allows remote attackers     to cause a denial of service (CPU consumption) via     packets with forged source addresses that cause a large     number of hash table collisions related to the     PREROUTING chain.

  - CAN-2003-0246 :

    The ioperm system call in Linux kernel 2.4.20 and     earlier does not properly restrict privileges, which     allows local users to gain read or write access to     certain I/O ports.

  - CAN-2003-0247 :

    A vulnerability in the TTY layer of the Linux kernel 2.4     allows attackers to cause a denial of service ('kernel     oops').

  - CAN-2003-0248 :

    The mxcsr code in Linux kernel 2.4 allows attackers to     modify CPU state registers via a malformed address.

  - CAN-2003-0364 :

    The TCP/IP fragment reassembly handling in the Linux     kernel 2.4 allows remote attackers to cause a denial of     service (CPU consumption) via certain packets that cause     a large number of hash table collisions.

  - CAN-2003-0961 :

    An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk()     function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in     mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x     and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.
    Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

  - CAN-2004-0077 :

    Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl     discovered a critical security vulnerability in the     memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2)     system call. Due to missing function return value check     of internal functions a local attacker can gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Several local root exploits have been discovered recently in the Linux kernel. This security advisory updates the PowerPC/Apus kernel for Debian GNU/Linux. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems that are fixed with this update :

  - CAN-2003-0961 :
    An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk()     function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in     mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x     and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.
    Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

  - CAN-2004-0077 :

    Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl     discovered a critical security vulnerability in the     memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2)     system call. Due to missing function return value check     of internal functions a local attacker can gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Several local root exploits have been discovered recently in the Linux kernel. This security advisory updates the ARM kernel for Debian GNU/Linux. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project identifies the following problems that are fixed with this update :

  - CAN-2003-0961 :
    An integer overflow in brk() system call (do_brk()     function) for Linux allows a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.23.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in     mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x     and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root     privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.
    Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.24.

  - CAN-2004-0077 :

    Paul Starzetz and Wojciech Purczynski of isec.pl     discovered a critical security vulnerability in the     memory management code of Linux inside the mremap(2)     system call. Due to missing function return value check     of internal functions a local attacker can gain root     privileges. Fixed upstream in Linux 2.4.25 and 2.6.3.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.

The IA-64 maintainers fixed several security related bugs in the Linux kernel 2.4.17 used for the IA-64 architecture, mostly by backporting fixes from 2.4.18. The corrections are listed below with the identification from the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) project :

  - CAN-2003-0001 :
    Multiple ethernet network interface card (NIC) device     drivers do not pad frames with null bytes, which allows     remote attackers to obtain information from previous     packets or kernel memory by using malformed packets, as     demonstrated by Etherleak.

  - CAN-2003-0018 :

    Linux kernel 2.4.10 through 2.4.21-pre4 does not     properly handle the O_DIRECT feature, which allows local     attackers with write privileges to read portions of     previously deleted files, or cause file system     corruption.

  - CAN-2003-0127 :

    The kernel module loader in Linux kernel 2.2.x before     2.2.25, and 2.4.x before 2.4.21, allows local users to     gain root privileges by using ptrace to attach to a     child process which is spawned by the kernel.

  - CAN-2003-0461 :

    The virtual file /proc/tty/driver/serial in Linux 2.4.x     reveals the exact number of characters used in serial     links, which could allow local users to obtain     potentially sensitive information such as the length of     passwords.

  - CAN-2003-0462 :

    A race condition in the way env_start and env_end     pointers are initialized in the execve system call and     used in fs/proc/base.c on Linux 2.4 allows local users     to cause a denial of service (crash).

  - CAN-2003-0476 :

    The execve system call in Linux 2.4.x records the file     descriptor of the executable process in the file table     of the calling process, which allows local users to gain     read access to restricted file descriptors.

  - CAN-2003-0501 :

    The /proc filesystem in Linux allows local users to     obtain sensitive information by opening various entries     in /proc/self before executing a setuid program, which     causes the program to fail to change the ownership and     permissions of those entries.

  - CAN-2003-0550 :

    The STP protocol, as enabled in Linux 2.4.x, does not     provide sufficient security by design, which allows     attackers to modify the bridge topology.

  - CAN-2003-0551 :

    The STP protocol implementation in Linux 2.4.x does not     properly verify certain lengths, which could allow     attackers to cause a denial of service.

  - CAN-2003-0552 :

    Linux 2.4.x allows remote attackers to spoof the bridge     Forwarding table via forged packets whose source     addresses are the same as the target.

  - CAN-2003-0961 :

    An integer overflow in brk system call (do_brk function)     for Linux kernel 2.4.22 and earlier allows local users     to gain root privileges.

  - CAN-2003-0985 :

    The mremap system call (do_mremap) in Linux kernel 2.4     and 2.6 does not properly perform boundary checks, which     allows local users to cause a denial of service and     possibly gain privileges by causing a remapping of a     virtual memory area (VMA) to create a zero length VMA.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug.

Andrew Morton discovered a missing boundary check for the brk system call which can be used to craft a local root exploit.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel (present in version 2.4.x and 2.6.x) which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. Version 2.2 is not affected by this bug, since it doesn't support the MREMAP_FIXED flag (as clarified later).

A flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous was discovered by Paul Starzetz. This flaw may be used to allow a local attacker to obtain root privilege.

Another minor information leak in the RTC (real time clock) routines was fixed as well.

All Mandrake Linux users are encouraged to upgrade to these packages immediately. To update your kernel, please follow the directions located at :

http://www.mandrakesecure.net/en/kernelupdate.php

Mandrake Linux 9.1 and 9.2 users should upgrade the initscripts (9.1) and bootloader-utils (9.2) packages prior to upgrading the kernel as they contain a fixed installkernel script that fixes instances where the loop module was not being loaded and would cause mkinitrd to fail.

Users requiring commercial NVIDIA drivers can find drivers for Mandrake Linux 9.2 at MandrakeClub.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. No exploit is currently available;
however, it is believed that this issue is exploitable (although not trivially.) The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0985 to this issue.

All users are advised to upgrade to these errata packages, which contain a backported security patch that corrects this issue. 

Red Hat would like to thank Paul Starzetz from ISEC for disclosing this issue as well as Andrea Arcangeli and Solar Designer for working on the patch.

These packages also contain a fix for a minor information leak in the real time clock (rtc) routines. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0984 to this issue.

Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.

Updated kernel packages are now available that fix a security vulnerability which may allow local users to gain root privileges.

The Linux kernel handles the basic functions of the operating system.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. No exploit is currently available;
however, it is believed that this issue is exploitable (although not trivially.) The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0985 to this issue.

All users are advised to upgrade to these errata packages, which contain a backported security patch that corrects this issue.

Red Hat would like to thank Paul Starzetz from ISEC for disclosing this issue as well as Andrea Arcangeli and Solar Designer for working on the patch.

Updated kernel packages are now available that fix a security vulnerability which may allow local users to gain root privileges.

The Linux kernel handles the basic functions of the operating system.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous which may allow a local attacker to gain root privileges. No exploit is currently available;
however, it is believed that this issue is exploitable (although not trivially.) The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0985 to this issue.

All users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 are advised to upgrade to these errata packages, which contain a backported security patch that corrects this issue.

Red Hat would like to thank Paul Starzetz from ISEC for disclosing this issue as well as Andrea Arcangeli and Solar Designer for working on the patch.

Updated kernel packages are now available that fix a security
vulnerability which may allow local users to gain root privileges.

The Linux kernel handles the basic functions of the operating system.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the
Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous which may allow a local
attacker to gain root privileges. No exploit is currently available;
however, it is believed that this issue is exploitable (although not
trivially.) The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project
(cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0985 to this issue.

All users are advised to upgrade to these errata packages, which
contain a backported security patch that corrects this issue.

Red Hat would like to thank Paul Starzetz from ISEC for disclosing
this issue as well as Andrea Arcangeli and Solar Designer for working
on the patch.

Updated kernel packages are now available that fix a security
vulnerability which may allow local users to gain root privileges.

The Linux kernel handles the basic functions of the operating system.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the
Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous which may allow a local
attacker to gain root privileges. No exploit is currently available;
however, it is believed that this issue is exploitable (although not
trivially.) The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project
(cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0985 to this issue.

All users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 are advised to upgrade to
these errata packages, which contain a backported security patch that
corrects this issue.

Red Hat would like to thank Paul Starzetz from ISEC for disclosing
this issue as well as Andrea Arcangeli and Solar Designer for working
on the patch.

Paul Starzetz discovered a flaw in bounds checking in mremap() in the
Linux kernel versions 2.4.23 and previous which may allow a local
attacker to gain root privileges. No exploit is currently available;
however, it is believed that this issue is exploitable (although not
trivially.) The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project
(cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0985 to this issue.

All users are advised to upgrade to these errata packages, which
contain a backported security patch that corrects this issue. 

Red Hat would like to thank Paul Starzetz from ISEC for disclosing
this issue as well as Andrea Arcangeli and Solar Designer for working
on the patch.

These packages also contain a fix for a minor information leak in the
real time clock (rtc) routines. The Common Vulnerabilities and
Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2003-0984
to this issue.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
18795	Slackware 9.0 / 9.1 / current : Kernel security update (SSA:2004-006-01)	Nessus	Slackware Local Security Checks	high
18786	Slackware 8.1 : Slackware 8.1 kernel security update (SSA:2004-008-01)	Nessus	Slackware Local Security Checks	high
15312	Debian DSA-475-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.18-hppa - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15307	Debian DSA-470-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.17-hppa - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15287	Debian DSA-450-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.19-mips - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15279	Debian DSA-442-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.17-s390 - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	critical
15277	Debian DSA-440-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.17-powerpc-apus - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15276	Debian DSA-439-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.16-arm - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15264	Debian DSA-427-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.17-mips+mipsel - missing boundary check	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15260	Debian DSA-423-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.17-ia64 - several vulnerabilities	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15254	Debian DSA-417-1 : linux-kernel-2.4.18-powerpc+alpha - missing boundary check	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
15250	Debian DSA-413-2 : linux-kernel-2.4.18 - missing boundary check	Nessus	Debian Local Security Checks	high
14101	Mandrake Linux Security Advisory : kernel (MDKSA-2004:001)	Nessus	Mandriva Local Security Checks	high
13669	Fedora Core 1 : kernel-2.4.22-1.2138.nptl (2003-046)	Nessus	Fedora Local Security Checks	high
12444	RHEL 2.1 : kernel (RHSA-2003:419)	Nessus	Red Hat Local Security Checks	high
12443	RHEL 3 : kernel (RHSA-2003:416)	Nessus	Red Hat Local Security Checks	high
801586	Red Hat 2003-419 Security Check	Log Correlation Engine	Generic	high
801585	Red Hat 2003-416 Security Check	Log Correlation Engine	Generic	high
801544	Fedora 2003-046 Security Check	Log Correlation Engine	Generic	high

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2003-0985

high

Tenable Plugins

high

high

high

high

high

critical

high

high

high

high

high

high

high

high

high

high

high

high

high