RHBA-2013:0429 - Bug Fix Advisory

Topic

Updated NetworkManager packages that fix multiple bugs and add various
enhancements are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.

Description

NetworkManager is a system network service that manages network devices and
connections, attempting to keep active network connectivity when available. It
manages Ethernet, wireless, mobile broadband (WWAN), and PPPoE (Point-to-Point
Protocol over Ethernet) devices, and provides VPN integration with a variety of
different VPN services.

This update fixes the following bugs:

• Previously, NetworkManager did not allow selecting the WPA protocol version

for a connection. Certain enterprise WLAN networks using Cisco equipment do not
allow roaming between WPA and WPA2 Virtual Access Points (VAP) provided by the
same physical access point, requiring the use of a specific WPA protocol version
to prevent disconnections. This update adds a WPA protocol combo box to the
NetworkManager user interface allowing a specific WPA protocol version to be
used when necessary, thus preventing this problem. (BZ#813573)

• Previously, NetworkManager tried to enable an interface only once.

Consequently, after a network failure, if a link was restored before the
connection to a DHCP server was functioning, NetworkManager sometimes timed out
and failed to bring up the interface. A patch has been applied so that
NetworkManager now tries three times to connect after a failure and then again
in five minute intervals. As a result, NetworkManager can now more reliably
restore connections after a network failure. (BZ#829499)

• Due to a bug in reading and writing network configuration files, network

connections using the LEAP authentication method could not be made available to
all users. A patch has been applied to address this issue and the network
configuration files now allow LEAP as expected. (BZ#833199)

• When a connection was locked to a specific WPA protocol version (either v1 or

v2/RSN) via either the GConf system or settings in the
"/etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/" configuration files, NetworkManager overwrote
that preference when the connection was edited and saved. This bug has been
fixed and such WPA preferences are now preserved in the described scenario.
(BZ#834349)

• When attempting to configure a wireless LEAP authenticated connection, the

credentials were asked for twice by the authentication dialog. A patch has been
applied and the problem no longer occurs. (BZ#837056)

• The NetworkManager service logged a warning when the Bluetooth service was not

running or not installed. A patch has been applied to prevent this and the
problem no longer occurs. (BZ#840580)

This update also adds the following enhancements:

• This update adds bridging support for NetworkManager. Note that this is

dependent on the NM_BOND_VLAN_ENABLED directive in /etc/sysconfig/network. If
and only if that directive is present and is one of yes, y, or true, will
NetworkManager detect and manage bridging, bonding and VLAN interfaces.
(BZ#558983)

• The NetworkManager service now provides support for bonding network

connections as well as creating VLAN and IPoIB network connections. (BZ#465345)

• NetworkManager now copies the DHCP lease files created by init scripts if they

are newer then those NetworkManager currently has. This results in a more
seamless takeover of DHCP assigned connections. (BZ#817660)

• This update enables Proactive Key Caching (PKC), also known as Opportunistic

Key Caching (OKC), for all WPA-Enterprise configurations. (BZ#834444)

• A number of improvements have been made to NetworkManager to allow more

bonding options and to handle incompatibilities between options. As a result,
more complex bonding configurations can now be controlled by NetworkManager.
(BZ#901662)

All users of NetworkManager are advised to upgrade to these updated packages,
which fix these bugs and add these enhancements.

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
https://access.redhat.com/knowledge/articles/11258

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

Fixes

• BZ - 817660 - inherit initscripts lease files where possible
• BZ - 829499 - NetworkManager tries to enable an interface only once
• BZ - 833199 - [ifcfg-rh] WPA-LEAP connections cannot be made system connections
• BZ - 834349 - Fails to preserve WPA protocol preference when connections are edited
• BZ - 834444 - Enable Proactive Key Caching for all WPA-Enterprise configurations
• BZ - 837056 - Leap credentials requested twice while creating

CVEs

(none)

References

(none)