RHBA-2005:291 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated vixie-cron package that fixes various bugs is now available.

Description

The vixie-cron package contains the Vixie version of cron. Cron is a
standard UNIX daemon that runs specified programs at scheduled times. Vixie
cron adds better security and more powerful configuration options to the
standard version of cron.

This update addresses the following issues:

• The /var partition filled with "laus_attach failed" error messages.

vixie-cron now prints the error message only once if laus_attach fails.
If laus_attach continues to fail after the initial failure no log message
is emitted. Once laus_attach succeeds, generation of the error message
is re-enabled until laus_attach fails again.

• Previously, cron jobs could get an invalid stdin file descriptor. crond

now explicitly opens file descriptor 0.

All users of vixie-cron should upgrade to this updated package, which
resolves these issues.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure that all previously-released
errata relevant to your system have been applied. Use Red Hat
Network to download and update your packages. To launch the Red Hat
Update Agent, use the following command:

up2date

For information on how to install packages manually, refer to the
following Web page for the System Administration or Customization
guide specific to your system:

http://www.redhat.com/docs/manuals/enterprise/

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 3 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 3 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 3 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 3 s390
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 3 ppc

Fixes

• BZ - 131860 - cron and laus problem
• BZ - 145992 - crond does not explicitly open file descriptor 0 if it is not available while startup

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)