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Home >> Browse Vulnerability Assessment Database >> Red Hat Local Security Checks >> RHSA-2002-259: sendmail

Vulnerability Assessment Details

RHSA-2002-259: sendmail

Vulnerability Assessment Summary
Check for the version of the sendmail packages

Detailed Explanation for this Vulnerability Assessment

The sendmail packages shipped with Red Hat Linux Advanced Server have a
security bug if sendmail is configured to use smrsh. This security errata
release fixes the problem.

[Updated 06 Feb 2003]
Added fixed packages for Advanced Workstation 2.1

SMRSH (the SendMail Restricted SHell) is a /bin/sh replacement for
Sendmail. It provides the ability to limit the set of executable programs
available to Sendmail.

A bug in the version of smrsh packaged as part of Sendmail 8.12.6 and
8.11.6 permits attackers to bypass shrsh's intended restrictions. This
can be done by inserting additional commands after "||" or "/" characters,
which are not properly filtered or verified. A sucessful attack would
permit a possible hacker who has a local account on a system to execute arbitrary
binaries as themselves by utilizing their .forward file.

Because sendmail as shipped with Red Hat Linux Advanced Server is not
configured to use smrsh, this issue only affects users who have customized
their sendmail configuration to use smrsh.

Users who have configured sendmail to use smrsh should update to these
errata packages which contain a backported security fix, and are therefore
not vulnerable to this issue.

Solution : http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2002-259.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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