fw_dbus.py in system-config-firewall 1.2.29 and earlier uses the pickle Python module unsafely during D-Bus communication between the GUI and the backend, which might allow local users to gain privileges via a crafted serialized object.

The remote Oracle Linux 6 host has packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the ELSA-2011-0953 advisory.

    - fixed possible privilege escalation flaw via use of python pickle       (CVE-2011-2520), replaced pickle by json (rhbz#717985)

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Oracle Linux security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

system-config-firewall is a graphical user interface for basic firewall setup.

It was found that system-config-firewall used the Python pickle module in an insecure way when sending data (via D-Bus) to the privileged back-end mechanism. A local user authorized to configure firewall rules using system-config-firewall could use this flaw to execute arbitrary code with root privileges, by sending a specially crafted serialized object. (CVE-2011-2520)

This erratum updates system-config-firewall to use JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) for data exchange, instead of pickle. Therefore, an updated version of system-config-printer that uses this new communication data format is also provided in this erratum.

Users of system-config-firewall are advised to upgrade to these updated packages, which contain a backported patch to resolve this issue. Running instances of system-config-firewall must be restarted before the utility will be able to communicate with its updated back-end.

- fixed possible privilege escalation flaw via use of     python pickle (CVE-2011-2520), replaced pickle by json     (rhbz#717985) and (rhbz#722991)

  - stop D-BUS firewall mechanism on update, because D-BUS     interface will not be compatible to old pickle version

  - system-config-printer needs to get updated, too

Note that Tenable Network Security has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Fedora security advisory. Tenable has attempted to automatically clean and format it as much as possible without introducing additional issues.

The remote Redhat Enterprise Linux 6 host has packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the RHSA-2011:0953 advisory.

    system-config-firewall is a graphical user interface for basic firewall     setup.

    It was found that system-config-firewall used the Python pickle module in     an insecure way when sending data (via D-Bus) to the privileged back-end     mechanism. A local user authorized to configure firewall rules using     system-config-firewall could use this flaw to execute arbitrary code with     root privileges, by sending a specially-crafted serialized object.
    (CVE-2011-2520)

    Red Hat would like to thank Marco Slaviero of SensePost for reporting this     issue.

    This erratum updates system-config-firewall to use JSON (JavaScript Object     Notation) for data exchange, instead of pickle. Therefore, an updated     version of system-config-printer that uses this new communication data     format is also provided in this erratum.

    Users of system-config-firewall are advised to upgrade to these updated     packages, which contain a backported patch to resolve this issue. Running     instances of system-config-firewall must be restarted before the utility     will be able to communicate with its updated back-end.

Tenable has extracted the preceding description block directly from the Red Hat Enterprise Linux security advisory.

Note that Nessus has not tested for this issue but has instead relied only on the application's self-reported version number.

ID	Name	Product	Family	Severity
68307	Oracle Linux 6 : system-config-firewall (ELSA-2011-0953)	Nessus	Oracle Linux Local Security Checks	high
61084	Scientific Linux Security Update : system-config-firewall on SL6.x i386/x86_64	Nessus	Scientific Linux Local Security Checks	medium
55753	Fedora 15 : system-config-firewall-1.2.29-4.fc15 (2011-9652)	Nessus	Fedora Local Security Checks	medium
55616	RHEL 6 : system-config-firewall (RHSA-2011:0953)	Nessus	Red Hat Local Security Checks	high

Detections

Analytics

CVE-2011-2520

high

Tenable Plugins

high

medium

medium

high