RHSA-2009:1428 - Security Advisory

Topic

Updated xmlsec1 packages that fix one security issue are now available for
Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4 and 5.

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

Description

The XML Security Library is a C library based on libxml2 and OpenSSL. It
implements the XML Signature Syntax and Processing and XML Encryption
Syntax and Processing standards. HMAC is used for message authentication
using cryptographic hash functions. The HMAC algorithm allows the hash
output to be truncated (as documented in RFC 2104).

A missing check for the recommended minimum length of the truncated form of
HMAC-based XML signatures was found in xmlsec1. An attacker could use this
flaw to create a specially-crafted XML file that forges an XML signature,
allowing the attacker to bypass authentication that is based on the XML
Signature specification. (CVE-2009-0217)

Users of xmlsec1 should upgrade to these updated packages, which contain
a backported patch to correct this issue. After installing the updated
packages, applications that use the XML Security Library must be restarted
for the update to take effect.

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
http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 5 i386
• 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 for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.4 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 5.4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 4.8 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 4.8 ia64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 4.8 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 5 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 Desktop 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 4 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 5 s390x
• 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 - Extended Update Support 5.4 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 4.8 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 4.8 s390
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 5 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 4 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 5.4 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 4.8 ppc
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server from RHUI 5 i386

Fixes

• BZ - 511915 - CVE-2009-0217 xmlsec1, mono, xml-security-c, xml-security-1.3.0-1jpp.ep1.*: XMLDsig HMAC-based signatures spoofing and authentication bypass

CVEs

• CVE-2009-0217

References

• http://www.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/#moderate
• http://www.w3.org/TR/xmldsig-core/
• http://tools.ietf.org/html/rfc2104