Topic

An updated mod_wsgi package that fixes two security issues is now available
for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.

The Red Hat Security Response Team has rated this update as having
Important security impact. Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) base
scores, which give detailed severity ratings, are available for each
vulnerability from the CVE links in the References section.

Description

The mod_wsgi adapter is an Apache module that provides a WSGI-compliant
interface for hosting Python-based web applications within Apache.

It was found that mod_wsgi did not properly drop privileges if the call to
setuid() failed. If mod_wsgi was set up to allow unprivileged users to run
WSGI applications, a local user able to run a WSGI application could
possibly use this flaw to escalate their privileges on the system.
(CVE-2014-0240)

Note: mod_wsgi is not intended to provide privilege separation for WSGI
applications. Systems relying on mod_wsgi to limit or sandbox the
privileges of mod_wsgi applications should migrate to a different solution
with proper privilege separation.

It was discovered that mod_wsgi could leak memory of a hosted web
application via the "Content-Type" header. A remote attacker could possibly
use this flaw to disclose limited portions of the web application's memory.
(CVE-2014-0242)

Red Hat would like to thank Graham Dumpleton for reporting these issues.
Upstream acknowledges Róbert Kisteleki as the original reporter of
CVE-2014-0240, and Buck Golemon as the original reporter of CVE-2014-0242.

All mod_wsgi users are advised to upgrade to this updated package, which
contains backported patches to correct these issues.

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/site/articles/11258

Affected Products

• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 6.5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for x86_64 - Extended Update Support 6.5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Workstation 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop 6 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems 6 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for IBM z Systems - Extended Update Support 6.5 s390x
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian - Extended Update Support 6.5 ppc64
• 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 Update Support from RHUI 6.5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Update Support from RHUI 6.5 i386
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - AUS 6.5 x86_64
• 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 Desktop 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Power, big endian 6 ppc64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Scientific Computing 6 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux EUS Compute Node 6.5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - TUS 6.5 x86_64
• Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server - Extended Life Cycle Support (for IBM z Systems) 6 s390x

Fixes

• BZ - 1101863 - CVE-2014-0240 mod_wsgi: possible privilege escalation in setuid() failure scenarios
• BZ - 1101873 - CVE-2014-0242 mod_wsgi: information leak

CVEs

• CVE-2014-0240
• CVE-2014-0242

References

• https://access.redhat.com/security/updates/classification/#important