RHBA-2011:0204 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

Updated file packages that fix several bugs are now available for Red Hat
Enterprise Linux 6.

Description

The file command is used to identify a particular file according to the type of
data contained in the file.

This update fixes the following bugs:

• Prior to this update, the file utility could be unable to recognize Python

scripts correctly. This update improves the file type recognition, and Python
scripts are now identified as expected. (BZ#594083)

• In accordance with POSIX standards, when the file utility is used on a file

that does not exist, cannot be read, or is of an unknown type, it returns 0 exit
code. This update extends the manual page to document this behavior. (BZ#608686)

• The file utility has been updated to recognize the WebM media container.

(BZ#610795)

• The file utility has been updated to recognize the ZIP64 file format.

(BZ#637782)

• The file utility has been updated to recognize volume_key escrow packets.

(BZ#643046)

• Due to an error in a magic pattern, the file utility incorrectly identified

GFS file systems as GFS2. With this update, the magic pattern has been
corrected, and GFS file systems are now identified as expected. (BZ#670125)

All users of file are advised to upgrade to these updated packages, which
resolve 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
https://access.redhat.com/kb/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 6 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 6 ppc64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Scientific Computing 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support (for IBM z Systems) 6 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support Extension 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support Extension 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support Extension (for IBM z Systems) 6 s390x

Fixes

• BZ - 594083 - file cannot recognize a python script
• BZ - 610795 - file doesn't recognize webm content
• BZ - 637782 - file command can't identify the zip64 format correctly.
• BZ - 670125 - File identifies GFS2 filesystems as GFS1 filesystems

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)