Synopsis

nss_ldap ecurity update

Type/Severity

Security Advisory: Important

Topic

Updated nss_ldap packages are now available for Red Hat Linux Advanced
Server 2.1. These updates fix a potential buffer overflow which can occur
when nss_ldap is set to configure itself using information stored in DNS
as well as a format string bug in logging functions used in pam_ldap.

[Updated 09 Jan 2003]
Added fixed packages for the Itanium (IA64) architecture.

[Updated 06 Feb 2003]
Added fixed packages for Advanced Workstation 2.1

Description

nss_ldap is a set of C library extensions that allow X.500 and LDAP
directory servers to be used as a primary source of aliases, ethers,
groups, hosts, networks, protocols, users, RPCs, services, and shadow
passwords (instead of or in addition to using flat files or NIS).

When versions of nss_ldap prior to nss_ldap-198 are configured without a
value for the "host" setting, nss_ldap will attempt to configure itself by
using SRV records stored in DNS. When parsing the results of the DNS
query, nss_ldap does not check that data returned by the server will fit
into an internal buffer, leaving it vulnerable to a buffer overflow
The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project has assigned the name
CAN-2002-0825 to this issue.

When versions of nss_ldap prior to nss_ldap-199 are configured without a
value for the "host" setting, nss_ldap will attempt to configure itself by
using SRV records stored in DNS. When parsing the results of the DNS
query, nss_ldap does not check that the data returned has not been
truncated by the resolver libraries to avoid a buffer overflow, and may
attempt to parse more data than is actually available, leaving it
vulnerable to a read buffer overflow.

Versions of pam_ldap prior to version 144 include a format string bug in
the logging function. The packages included in this erratum update pam_ldap
to version 144, fixing this bug. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
project has assigned the name CAN-2002-0374 to this issue.

All users of nss_ldap should update to these errata packages which are not
vulnerable to the above issues. These packages are based on nss_ldap-189
with the addition of a backported security patch and pam_ldap version 144.

Thanks to the nss_ldap and pam_ldap team at padl.com for providing
information about these issues.

Solution

This update is available via Red Hat Network. To use Red Hat Network,
launch the Red Hat Update Agent with the following command:

up2date

This will start an interactive process that will result in the appropriate
RPMs being upgraded on your system.

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 2 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 2 ia64

Fixes

(none)

CVEs

• CVE-2002-0825
• CVE-2002-0374

References

(none)

This erratum does not contain any packages.