RHSA-2004:222 - Security Advisory

Topic

Updated kdelibs packages that fix telnet URI handler and mailto URI handler
file vulnerabilities are now available.

Description

The kdelibs packages include libraries for the K Desktop Environment.

KDE Libraries include: kdecore (KDE core library), kdeui (user interface),
kfm (file manager), khtmlw (HTML widget), kio (Input/Output, networking),
kspell (spelling checker), jscript (javascript), kab (addressbook), kimgio
(image manipulation). Konqueror is a file manager and Web browser for the
K Desktop Environment (KDE).

iDEFENSE identified a vulnerability in the Opera web browser that could
allow remote attackers to create or truncate arbitrary files. The KDE team
has found two similar vulnerabilities that also exist in KDE.

A flaw in the telnet URI handler may allow options to be passed to the
telnet program, resulting in creation or replacement of files. An attacker
could create a carefully crafted link such that when opened by a victim it
creates or overwrites a file with the victim's permissions.

A flaw in the mailto URI handler may allow options to be passed to the
kmail program. These options could cause kmail to write to the file system
or to run on a remote X display. An attacker could create a carefully
crafted link in such a way that access may be obtained to run arbitrary
code as the victim.

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has
assigned the name CAN-2004-0411 to these issues.

Note: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 is only vulnerable to the mailto URI
flaw as a previous update shipped without a telnet.protocol file.

All users of KDE are advised to upgrade to these erratum packages, which
contain a backported patch for these issues.

Solution

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

To update all RPMs for your particular architecture, run:

rpm -Fvh [filenames]

where [filenames] is a list of the RPMs you wish to upgrade. Only those
RPMs which are currently installed will be updated. Those RPMs which are
not installed but included in the list will not be updated. Note that you
can also use wildcards (*.rpm) if your current directory *only* contains the
desired RPMs.

Please note that this update is also available via Red Hat Network. Many
people find this an easier way to apply updates. 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.

If up2date fails to connect to Red Hat Network due to SSL
Certificate Errors, you need to install a version of the
up2date client with an updated certificate. The latest version of
up2date is available from the Red Hat FTP site and may also be
downloaded directly from the RHN website:

https://rhn.redhat.com/help/latest-up2date.pxt

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 3 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 2 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 2 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 3 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 2 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 2 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 3 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 3 s390
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 3 ppc

Fixes

• BZ - 123232 - CAN-2004-0411 URI filtering vulnerability

CVEs

• CVE-2004-0411

References

• http://www.kde.org/info/security/advisory-20040517-1.txt