rPath alert rPSA-2006-0082-1 (vixie-cron)

From:
    	     
 
"Justin M. Forbes" <jmforbes@rpath.com>
To:
    	     
 
security-announce@lists.rpath.com,
 update-announce@lists.rpath.com
Subject:
    	     
 
rPSA-2006-0082-1 vixie-cron
Date:
    	     
 
Thu, 25 May 2006 15:31:06 -0400
Cc:
    	     
 
full-disclosure@lists.grok.org.uk, bugtraq@securityfocus.com,
 lwn@lwn.net
rPath Security Advisory: 2006-0082-1
Published: 2006-05-25
Products: rPath Linux 1
Rating: Critical
Exposure Level Classification:
    Local Root Deterministic Privilege Escalation
Updated Versions:
    vixie-cron=/conary.rpath.com@rpl:devel//1/4.1-5.2-1

References:
    http://www.cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-xxx...
    http://bugs.rpath.com/show_bug.cgi?id=1166

Description:
    In previous versions of the vixie-cron package, when the
    /etc/security/limits.conf file has been set up with limits for
    any user, and that user has permission to use the cron facility,
    that user can use vixie-cron to run arbitrary programs as root by
    exceeding the limits set in /etc/security/limits.conf.
    
    By default, rPath Linux does not include any limits configured
    in the /etc/security/limits.conf file.  The /etc/security/limits.conf
    file is provided by the pam:data component, so to determine whether
    it has been changed in any way, run the command:
    
    # conary verify pam:data | grep /etc/security/limits.conf