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Home >> Browse Vulnerability Assessment Database >> Red Hat Local Security Checks >> RHSA-2003-389: kernel

Vulnerability Assessment Details

RHSA-2003-389: kernel

Vulnerability Assessment Summary
Check for the version of the kernel packages

Detailed Explanation for this Vulnerability Assessment

Updated kernel packages are now available that fix a security
vulnerability permiting local users to gain root rights.

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

A flaw in bounds checking in the do_brk() function in the Linux kernel
versions 2.4.22 and previous can permit a local attacker to gain root
rights. This issue is known to be exploitable
an exploit has been
seen in the wild that takes advantage of this vulnerability. The Common
Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name
CVE-2003-0961 to this issue.

All users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 are advised to upgrade to these
errata packages, which contain a backported security patch that corrects
this vulnerability.

Users of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 should upgrade to the kernel packages
provided by RHBA-2003:308 (released on 30 October 2003), which already
contained a patch correcting this issue.

Solution : http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2003-389.html
Network Security Threat Level: High

Networks Security ID:

Vulnerability Assessment Copyright: This script is Copyright (C) 2004 Tenable Network Security

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