RHBA-2009:1655 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated rhnsd package that fixes a problem with inconsistent system
environments during rhn_check execution is now available.

Description

The Red Hat Update Agent -- rhnsd -- periodically polls the Red Hat Network
(RHN) or a Red Hat Network Satellite server to determine actions to be
executed on a client, such as which packages need to be updated on a given
system, and then runs those actions.

This update addresses the following issue:

• an alternative to polling a server for scheduled actions is pushing the

scheduled actions from the RHN or Satellite server to the client. This is
implemented with the XMPP protocol and the OSAD program running on a
client. Both rhnsd and osad use the rhn_check program to execute scheduled
actions on a client. Previously, the system environment passed to rhn_check
by rhnsd was not consistent with the system environment passed to rhn_check
by osad. In some circumstances, this inconsistency led to update failures.
With this update both rhnsd and osad now return an equivalent "env" to
rhn_check and actions executed either by pulling (rhnsd) or pushing (ocad)
both work as expected. (BZ#503738)

All RHN or RHN Satellite users should install this updated package which
fixes this bug.

Solution

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata
relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the 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

Update rhnsd by running:

# yum update rhnsd

Restart rhnsd agent by running:

# service rhnsd restart

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 - 503738 - Inconsistent environment for rhn_check under osad and rhnsd

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)