Scientific Linux Security Update : pam on SL4.x i386/x86_64

medium Nessus Plugin ID 60308

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Synopsis

The remote Scientific Linux host is missing one or more security updates.

Description

A flaw was found in the way pam_console set console device permissions. It was possible for various console devices to retain ownership of the console user after logging out, possibly leaking information to another local user. (CVE-2007-1716)

A flaw was found in the way the PAM library wrote account names to the audit subsystem. An attacker could inject strings containing parts of audit messages, which could possibly mislead or confuse audit log parsing tools. (CVE-2007-3102)

As well, these updated packages fix the following bugs :

- the pam_xauth module, which is used for copying the X11 authentication cookie, did not reset the 'XAUTHORITY' variable in certain circumstances, causing unnecessary delays when using su command.

- when calculating password similarity, pam_cracklib disregarded changes to the last character in passwords when 'difok=x' (where 'x' is the number of characters required to change) was configured in '/etc/pam.d/system-auth'. This resulted in password changes that should have been successful to fail with the following error :

BAD PASSWORD: is too similar to the old one

This issue has been resolved in these updated packages.

- the pam_limits module, which provides setting up system resources limits for user sessions, reset the nice priority of the user session to '0' if it was not configured otherwise in the '/etc/security/limits.conf' configuration file.

These updated packages add the following enhancement :

- a new PAM module, pam_tally2, which allows accounts to be locked after a maximum number of failed log in attempts.

Solution

Update the affected pam and / or pam-devel packages.

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 60308

File Name: sl_20071115_pam_on_SL4_x.nasl

Version: 1.5

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Scientific Linux Local Security Checks

Published: 8/1/2012

Updated: 1/14/2021

Supported Sensors: Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 5.5

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 4.3

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

Vulnerability Information

CPE: x-cpe:/o:fermilab:scientific_linux

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/cpu, Host/RedHat/release, Host/RedHat/rpm-list

Patch Publication Date: 11/15/2007

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2007-1716, CVE-2007-3102

Detections

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