Scientific Linux Security Update : kernel on SL6.x i386/x86_64 (20120123)

medium Nessus Plugin ID 61221

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Synopsis

The remote Scientific Linux host is missing one or more security updates.

Description

The kernel packages contain the Linux kernel, the core of any Linux operating system.

This update fixes the following security issue :

- It was found that permissions were not checked properly in the Linux kernel when handling the /proc/[pid]/mem writing functionality. A local, unprivileged user could use this flaw to escalate their privileges.
(CVE-2012-0056, Important)

This update fixes the following bugs :

- The 2.6.32-220.2.1.el6 kernel update introduced a bug in the Linux kernel scheduler, causing a 'WARNING: at kernel/sched.c:5915 thread_return' message and a call trace to be logged. This message was harmless, and was not due to any system malfunctions or adverse behavior.
With this update, the WARN_ON_ONCE() call in the scheduler that caused this harmless message has been removed.

- The 2.6.32-220.el6 kernel update introduced a regression in the way the Linux kernel maps ELF headers for kernel modules into kernel memory. If a third-party kernel module is compiled on a Scientific Linux system with a kernel prior to 2.6.32-220.el6, then loading that module on a system with 2.6.32-220.el6 kernel would result in corruption of one byte in the memory reserved for the module. In some cases, this could prevent the module from functioning correctly.

- On some SMP systems the tsc may erroneously be marked as unstable during early system boot or while the system is under heavy load. A 'Clocksource tsc unstable' message was logged when this occurred. As a result the system would switch to the slower access, but higher precision HPET clock.

The 'tsc=reliable' kernel parameter is supposed to avoid this problem by indicating that the system has a known good clock, however, the parameter only affected run time checks. A fix has been put in to avoid the boot time checks so that the TSC remains as the clock for the duration of system runtime.

Users should upgrade to these updated packages, which contain backported patches to correct these issues. The system must be rebooted for this update to take effect.

Solution

Update the affected packages.

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 61221

File Name: sl_20120123_kernel_on_SL6_x.nasl

Version: 1.10

Type: local

Agent: unix

Family: Scientific Linux Local Security Checks

Published: 8/1/2012

Updated: 1/14/2021

Supported Sensors: Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Critical

Score: 9.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.9

Vector: CVSS2#AV:L/AC:M/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-debug, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-debug-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-debug-devel, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-debuginfo-common-i686, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-debuginfo-common-x86_64, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-devel, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-doc, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-firmware, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:kernel-headers, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:perf, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:perf-debuginfo, p-cpe:/a:fermilab:scientific_linux:python-perf, x-cpe:/o:fermilab:scientific_linux

Required KB Items: Host/local_checks_enabled, Host/cpu, Host/RedHat/release, Host/RedHat/rpm-list

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 1/23/2012

Vulnerability Publication Date: 1/27/2012

Exploitable With

CANVAS (CANVAS)

Core Impact

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2012-0056

Detections

Analytics