RHSA-2005:499 - Security Advisory

Topic

An updated gedit package that fixes a file name format string vulnerability
is now available.

This update has been rated as having moderate security impact by the Red
Hat Security Response Team

Description

gEdit is a small text editor designed specifically for the GNOME GUI desktop.

A file name format string vulnerability has been discovered in gEdit. It is
possible for an attacker to create a file with a carefully crafted name
which, when the file is opened, executes arbitrary instructions on a
victim's machine. Although it is unlikely that a user would manually open a
file with such a carefully crafted file name, a user could, for example, be
tricked into opening such a file from within an email client. The Common
Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name
CAN-2005-1686 to this issue.

Users of gEdit should upgrade to this updated package, which contains a
backported patch to correct this issue.

Solution

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

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 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 4 i386
• 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 Workstation 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 4 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 Desktop 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 3 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 3 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 4 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 4 s390
• 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 4 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 3 ppc

Fixes

• BZ - 159655 - CAN-2005-1686 filename format string vulnerability

CVEs

• CVE-2005-1686

References

(none)