Updated ecryptfs-utils packages that fix a security issue, various bugs, and add enhancements are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.

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

eCryptfs is a stacked, cryptographic file system. It is transparent to the underlying file system and provides per-file granularity.

eCryptfs is released as a Technology Preview for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.4. These updated ecryptfs-utils packages have been upgraded to upstream version 75, which provides a number of bug fixes and enhancements over the previous version. In addition, these packages provide a graphical program to help configure and use eCryptfs. To start this program, run the command :

ecryptfs-mount-helper-gui

Important: the syntax of certain eCryptfs mount options has changed.
Users who were previously using the initial Technology Preview release of ecryptfs-utils are advised to refer to the ecryptfs(7) man page, and to update any affected mount scripts and /etc/fstab entries for eCryptfs file systems.

A disclosure flaw was found in the way the 'ecryptfs-setup-private' script passed passphrases to the 'ecryptfs-wrap-passphrase' and 'ecryptfs-add-passphrase' commands as command line arguments. A local user could obtain the passphrases of other users who were running the script from the process listing. (CVE-2008-5188)

These updated packages provide various enhancements, including a mount helper and supporting libraries to perform key management and mounting functions.

Notable enhancements include :

* a new package, ecryptfs-utils-gui, has been added to this update.
This package depends on the pygtk2 and pygtk2-libglade packages and provides the eCryptfs Mount Helper GUI program. To install the GUI, first install ecryptfs-utils and then issue the following command :

yum install ecryptfs-utils-gui

(BZ#500997)

* the 'ecryptfs-rewrite-file' utility is now more intelligent when dealing with non-existent files and with filtering special files such as the '.' directory. In addition, the progress output from 'ecryptfs-rewrite-file' has been improved and is now more explicit about the success status of each target. (BZ#500813)

* descriptions of the 'verbose' flag and the 'verbosity=[x]' option, where [x] is either 0 or 1, were missing from a number of eCryptfs manual pages, and have been added. Refer to the eCryptfs man pages for important information regarding using the verbose and/or verbosity options. (BZ#470444)

These updated packages also fix the following bugs :

* mounting a directory using the eCryptfs mount helper with an RSA key that was too small did not allow the eCryptfs mount helper to encrypt the entire key. When this situation occurred, the mount helper did not display an error message alerting the user to the fact that the key size was too small, possibly leading to corrupted files. The eCryptfs mount helper now refuses RSA keys which are to small to encrypt the eCryptfs key. (BZ#499175)

* when standard input was redirected from /dev/null or was unavailable, attempting to mount a directory with the eCryptfs mount helper caused it to become unresponsive and eventually crash, or an 'invalid value' error message, depending on if the '--verbosity=[value]' option was provided as an argument, and, if so, its value. With these updated packages, attempting to mount a directory using 'mount.ecryptfs' under the same conditions results in either the mount helper attempting to use default values (if 'verbosity=0' is supplied), or an 'invalid value' error message (instead of the mount helper hanging) if standard input is redirected and '--verbosity=1' is supplied, or that option is omitted entirely.
(BZ#499367)

* attempting to use the eCryptfs mount helper with an OpenSSL key when the keyring did not contain enough space for the key resulted in an unhelpful error message. The user is now alerted when this situation occurs. (BZ#501460)

* the eCryptfs mount helper no longer fails upon receiving an incorrect or empty answer to 'yes/no' questions. (BZ#466210)

Users are advised to upgrade to these updated ecryptfs-utils packages, which resolve these issues and add these enhancements.

The remote Oracle Linux 5 host has packages installed that are affected by a vulnerability as referenced in the ELSA-2009-1307 advisory.

  - The (1) ecryptfs-setup-private, (2) ecryptfs-setup-confidential, and (3) ecryptfs-setup-pam-wrapped.sh     scripts in ecryptfs-utils 45 through 61 in eCryptfs place cleartext passwords on command lines, which     allows local users to obtain sensitive information by listing the process. (CVE-2008-5188)

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

These updated ecryptfs-utils packages have been upgraded to upstream version 75, which provides a number of bug fixes and enhancements over the previous version. In addition, these packages provide a graphical program to help configure and use eCryptfs. To start this program, run the command :

ecryptfs-mount-helper-gui

Important: the syntax of certain eCryptfs mount options has changed.
Users who were previously using the initial Technology Preview release of ecryptfs-utils are advised to refer to the ecryptfs(7) man page, and to update any affected mount scripts and /etc/fstab entries for eCryptfs file systems.

A disclosure flaw was found in the way the 'ecryptfs-setup-private' script passed passphrases to the 'ecryptfs-wrap-passphrase' and 'ecryptfs-add-passphrase' commands as command line arguments. A local user could obtain the passphrases of other users who were running the script from the process listing. (CVE-2008-5188)

These updated packages provide various enhancements, including a mount helper and supporting libraries to perform key management and mounting functions.

Notable enhancements include :

  - a new package, ecryptfs-utils-gui, has been added to     this update. This package depends on the pygtk2 and     pygtk2-libglade packages and provides the eCryptfs Mount     Helper GUI program. To install the GUI, first install     ecryptfs-utils and then issue the following command :

    yum install ecryptfs-utils-gui

(BZ#500997)

  - the 'ecryptfs-rewrite-file' utility is now more     intelligent when dealing with non-existent files and     with filtering special files such as the '.' directory.
    In addition, the progress output from     'ecryptfs-rewrite-file' has been improved and is now     more explicit about the success status of each target.
    (BZ#500813)

  - descriptions of the 'verbose' flag and the     'verbosity=[x]' option, where [x] is either 0 or 1, were     missing from a number of eCryptfs manual pages, and have     been added. Refer to the eCryptfs man pages for     important information regarding using the verbose and/or     verbosity options. (BZ#470444)

These updated packages also fix the following bugs :

  - mounting a directory using the eCryptfs mount helper     with an RSA key that was too small did not allow the     eCryptfs mount helper to encrypt the entire key. When     this situation occurred, the mount helper did not     display an error message alerting the user to the fact     that the key size was too small, possibly leading to     corrupted files. The eCryptfs mount helper now refuses     RSA keys which are to small to encrypt the eCryptfs key.
    (BZ#499175)

  - when standard input was redirected from /dev/null or was     unavailable, attempting to mount a directory with the     eCryptfs mount helper caused it to become unresponsive     and eventually crash, or an 'invalid value' error     message, depending on if the '--verbosity=[value]'     option was provided as an argument, and, if so, its     value. With these updated packages, attempting to mount     a directory using 'mount.ecryptfs' under the same     conditions results in either the mount helper attempting     to use default values (if 'verbosity=0' is supplied), or     an 'invalid value' error message (instead of the mount     helper hanging) if standard input is redirected and     '--verbosity=1' is supplied, or that option is omitted     entirely. (BZ#499367)

  - attempting to use the eCryptfs mount helper with an     OpenSSL key when the keyring did not contain enough     space for the key resulted in an unhelpful error     message. The user is now alerted when this situation     occurs. (BZ#501460)

  - the eCryptfs mount helper no longer fails upon receiving     an incorrect or empty answer to 'yes/no' questions.
    (BZ#466210)

ID	Name	Product	Family	Published	Updated	Severity
43783	CentOS 5 : ecryptfs-utils (CESA-2009:1307)	Nessus	CentOS Local Security Checks	1/6/2010	1/4/2021	high
180624	Oracle Linux 5 : ecryptfs-utils (ELSA-2009-1307)	Nessus	Oracle Linux Local Security Checks	9/7/2023	11/8/2023	medium
60651	Scientific Linux Security Update : ecryptfs-utils on SL5.x i386/x86_64	Nessus	Scientific Linux Local Security Checks	8/1/2012	1/14/2021	high
63891	RHEL 5 : ecryptfs-utils (RHSA-2009:1307)	Nessus	Red Hat Local Security Checks	1/24/2013	1/14/2021	high

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