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Debian DSA-364-3 : man-db - buffer overflows, arbitrary command execution

medium Nessus Plugin ID 15201

Synopsis

The remote Debian host is missing a security-related update.

Description

man-db provides the standard man(1) command on Debian systems. During configuration of this package, the administrator is asked whether man(1) should run setuid to a dedicated user ('man') in order to provide a shared cache of preformatted manual pages. The default is for man(1) NOT to be setuid, and in this configuration no known vulnerability exists. However, if the user explicitly requests setuid operation, a local attacker could exploit either of the following bugs to execute arbitrary code as the 'man' user.

Again, these vulnerabilities do not affect the default configuration, where man is not setuid.

 - CAN-2003-0620: Multiple buffer overflows in man-db 2.4.1 and earlier, when installed setuid, allow local users to gain privileges via (1) MANDATORY_MANPATH, MANPATH_MAP, and MANDB_MAP arguments to add_to_dirlist in manp.c, (2) a long pathname to ult_src in ult_src.c, (3) a long .so argument to test_for_include in ult_src.c, (4) a long MANPATH environment variable, or (5) a long PATH environment variable.
 - CAN-2003-0645: Certain DEFINE directives in ~/.manpath, which contained commands to be executed, would be honored even when running setuid, allowing any user to execute commands as the 'man' user.

Solution

For the current stable distribution (woody), these problems have been fixed in version 2.3.20-18.woody.4.


We recommend that you update your man-db package.

See Also

http://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-364

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 15201

File Name: debian_DSA-364.nasl

Version: 1.26

Type: local

Agent: unix

Published: 9/29/2004

Updated: 1/4/2021

Supported Sensors: Frictionless Assessment Agent, Nessus Agent, Agentless Assessment, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.6

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.6

Temporal Score: 3.6

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:L/Au:N/C:P/I:P/A:P

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:debian:debian_linux:man-db, cpe:/o:debian:debian_linux:3.0

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/Debian/release, Host/Debian/dpkg-l

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Vulnerability Publication Date: 6/29/2003

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2003-0620, CVE-2003-0645

BID: 8303, 8341

DSA: 364