A new security update has been released for Gentoo Linux - KDM: Symlink vulnerability. Here the announcement:
Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 200606-23
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
http://security.gentoo.org/
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Severity: Normal
Title: KDM: Symlink vulnerability
Date: June 22, 2006
Bugs: #136201
ID: 200606-23
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Synopsis
========
KDM is vulnerable to a symlink vulnerability that can lead to
disclosure of information.
Background
==========
KDE is a feature-rich graphical desktop environment for Linux and
Unix-like Operating Systems. KDM is the KDE Display Manager and is part
of the kdebase package.
Affected packages
=================
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected
-------------------------------------------------------------------
1 kde-base/kdebase < 3.5.2-r2 >= 3.5.2-r2
*>= 3.4.3-r2
2 kde-base/kdm < 3.5.2-r2 >= 3.5.2-r2
*>= 3.4.3-r2
-------------------------------------------------------------------
2 affected packages on all of their supported architectures.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Description
===========
Ludwig Nussel discovered that KDM could be tricked into allowing users
to read files that would otherwise not be readable.
Impact
======
A local attacker could exploit this issue to obtain potentially
sensitive information that is usually not accessable to the local user
such as shadow files or other user's files. The default Gentoo user
running KDM is root and, as a result, the local attacker can read any
file.
Workaround
==========
There is no known workaround at this time.
Resolution
==========
All kdebase users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose kde-base/kdebase
All KDE split ebuild users should upgrade to the latest KDM version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose kde-base/kdm
References
==========
[ 1 ] KDE Security Advisory: KDM symlink attack vulnerability
http://www.kde.org/info/security/advisory-20060614-1.txt
[ 2 ] CVE-2006-2449
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2006-2449
Availability
============
This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at
the Gentoo Security Website:
http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200606-23.xml
Concerns?
=========
Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the
confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost
importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to
security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at
http://bugs.gentoo.org.
License
=======
Copyright 2006 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text
belongs to its owner(s).
The contents of this document are licensed under the
Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5
