RHBA-2011:0708 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

An updated procps package that fixes several bugs is now available.

Description

The procps package contains a set of system utilities that provide system
information. The procps package includes ps, free, skill, snice, sysctl,
tload, top, uptime, vmstat, w, and watch.

This update addresses the following issues:

• The vmstat disk device field was, previously, restricted to 15

characters. The Linux kernel allows for device names up to 32 characters,
however, and the vmstat restriction resulted in two unwelcome behaviors.
First, device names up to 31 characters were displayed correctly by "vmstat

• d", although characters after the fifteenth were truncated. More

significantly, devices with 32-character names were not displayed by
"vmstat -d" at all. With this update, the vmstat disk device field now
supports up to 32 characters, ensuring all devices are displayed properly
in "vmstat -d" output. (BZ#596948)

• The sysctl command's man page described the "-A" switch as displaying

"all values currently available in table form." This is incorrect: "-A" is
equivalent to "-a", simply displaying all currently available values. This
update includes an updated man page that corrects the error. As well, this
updated man page includes a new NOTES entry, documenting the interaction
between modules loaded after sysctl is run and sysctl itself. (BZ#622389)

• Previously applied procps patches contained three memory leaks, all of

which can lead to procps utilities hanging. This update closes the leaks,
ensuring the potential hangs do not, now, occur. (BZ#684031)

All procps users 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
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 Server - Extended Life Cycle Support 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support 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 (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 - 596948 - vmstat disk device field is not long enough
• BZ - 622389 - The sysctl command's man page doesn't describe the option -A correctly.
• BZ - 684031 - bugs in procps-3.2.7-ps-cgroup.patch and procps-3.2.8-pmap-smaps.patch

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)