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Bug Alert: Flaw found in CVS version control system

Opinion
Jan 23, 20035 mins
NetworkingSecurity

* Patches from Red Hat, Mandrake Linux, SuSE, others * Beware the family of worms * U.K. virus writer sentenced to two years in prison, and other interesting reading

Today’s bug patches and security alerts:

Flaw found in CVS version control system

A vulnerability in the popular Concurrent Version System (CVS) server could allow a malicious user to run arbitary code on the affected machine. Versions of CVS prior to and including 1.11.4 are effected by this problem. Users should download Version 1.11.5 to fix the problem. For more, go to:

https://ccvs.cvshome.org/servlets/NewsItemView?newsID=51

Red Hat:

https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003-012.html

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More DHCP packages available

As we’ve been reporting over the past week, a serious security flaw has been found in the Internet Software Consortium’s Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol that ships with many operating systems. An attacker could exploit this flaw to take control of the affected system. Additional operating system patches are now available:

Mandrake Linux:

https://www.mandrakesecure.net/en/advisories/advisory.php?name=MDKSA-2003:007

Gentoo:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=30721

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Red Hat releases libpng patches

A buffer overflow vulnerability in libpng, a program used for viewing PNG images, could be exploited to run arbitrary commands on the affected machine. For more, go to:

https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003-006.html

Red Hat patches MySQL

A flaw in the popular MySQL database could be exploited to crash the affected service and potentially gain elevated privileges on the affected machine. For more, go to:

https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-288.html

PostgreSQL patch for Red Hat implementations

A number of vulnerabilities have been found in the PostgreSQL object-relational database. These flaws could be exploited in a denial-of-service attack or potentially execute arbitrary code on the affected machine. For more, go to:

https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003-001.html

Red Hat releases fix for python packages

A flaw in the way certain functions with in the python scripting language package create temporary files could be exploited in a symlink attack. For more, go to:

https://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-202.html

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Mandrake Linux patches printer drivers

Three flaws have been found in the printer drivers for Mandrake Linux. One flaw could allow an attacker to empty or create a any file on the affected the system. The other two vulnerabilities could be exploited to gain root access on the affected machine. For more, go to:

https://www.mandrakesecure.net/en/advisories/advisory.php?name=MDKSA-2003:010-1

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OpenPKG releases vim patch

As we reported in our last edition, there’s a problem with the vim text editor that could allow a malicious user to call external programs. This could be used to run arbitrary commands on the affected machine. For more, go to:

https://www.openpkg.org/security/OpenPKG-SA-2003.003-vim.html

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Debian releases patch for libmcrypt

Several buffer overflow vulnerabilities have been found in libmcrypt, a decryption/encryption code library. The flaws could be exploited to crash the affected machine and potentially run malicious code. For more, go to:

https://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-228

Debian patches bugzilla application

Two flaws have been found in the bugzilla bug tracking application for Linux. The first flaw could allow a remote user alter or delete data collected by the application. A second vulnerability could allow a malicious user access to backup files. For more, go to:

https://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-230

Debian warns of vulnerabilities in KDE

Two separate pieces of KDE for Debian contain vulnerabilities. First, the kdeadmin package contains flaws that could be exploited to run arbitrary commands on the affected machine. Second, the kdegraphics is vulnerable to arbitrary code injection that can be run with the privileges of the victim. For more, go to:

kdeadmin:

https://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-234

kdegraphics:

https://www.debian.org/security/2003/dsa-235

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SuSE patches susehelp

According to an alert from SuSE, “Remote attackers can insert certain characters in CGI queries to the susehelp system tricking it into executing arbitrary code as the ‘wwwrun’ user.” For more, go to:

https://www.suse.com/de/security/2003_005_susehelp.html

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Gentoo updates KDE

Multiple vulnerabilities exist in the KDE implementation for Gentoo. These flaws could be exploited to remotely execute shell commands. For more, go to:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=30777

Gentoo warns of fnord buffer overrun

Version 1.6 of fnord contains a buffer overrun in its CGI code, according to an alert from Gentoo. The company recommends users upgrade to a later version. For more, go to:

https://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?t=30720

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Caldera patches canna

Two vulnerabilities have been found in the canna module that is used to display Chinese character sets. A local user could exploit this to gain access to certain system folders. For more, go to:

ftp://ftp.sco.com/pub/security/OpenLinux/CSSA-2003-005.0.txt

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Buffer overflow in WinRAR

A buffer overflow vulnerability has been found in WinRAR, an archive manager for Windows. A malicious user could exploit the flaw to insert viruses into the affected machine or potentially delete files. Download Version 3.11 to fix this flaws. For more, go to:

https://www.rarlab.com/

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Today’s roundup of virus alerts:

W32/Oror-Fam – A family of worms that spreads in the same manner: e-mail, network shares and the Kazaa file-sharing network. The virus pops up fake dialog boxes, changes registry settings so that it activates on start up and creates mIRC scripts for distributing itself via IRC. (Sophos, Computer Associates)

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From the interesting reading department:

U.K. virus writer sentenced to two years in prison

A 22-year-old British man has been sentenced to two years in prison for creating and sending out three computer viruses, one of the toughest sentences given so far to a virus writer. IDG News Service, 01/22/03.

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0122ukvirus.html

Astaro releases new Linux based security software

Astaro this week at the LinuxWorld Expo announced its Security Linux V4 package for building Linux-based security devices on standard Intel server hardware. Network World, 01/22/03. 

https://www.nwfusion.com/news/2003/0122astaro.html

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Archives online:

If it’s archives you want, then it’s archives we’ve got:

https://www.nwfusion.com/newsletters/bug/