RHBA-2009:0125 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated ntp package that fixes various bugs is now available.

Description

The Network Time Protocol (NTP) is used to synchronize a computer's time
with a referenced time source.

This updated package fixes the following bugs:

• on systems with two or more interfaces, ntpd selected the first

multicast-capable interface presented by the kernel, even if a "broadcast"
option in "/etc/ntp.conf" specified a different subnet (which would cause a
different interface to be used).

With this update, ntpd now finds and selects the default multicast
interface as mapped by the kernel, rather than automatically selecting the
first multicast-capable interface presented. As a consequence, if
"/etc/ntp.conf" specifies a different subnet, ntpd now selects the expected
multicast interface.

• when ntpd was started with the "-x" option, ntpd did not disable the

kernel time discipline. With this update, the "-x" option works as
documented in the ntpd(8) manual page.

Users of ntp are advised to 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.

This update is available via Red Hat Network. Details on how to use
the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 431729 - ntpd -x doesn't disable kernel discipline
• BZ - 444106 - unable to select multicast (IPv4) source interface

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)