News Group Posts

x286emul security problem 5.0.7

From: Bela Lubkin <belal@sco.com>
Subject: Re: x286emul
Date: Mon, 18 Nov 2002 06:39:20 GMT
References: <d45d8f4d.0211171323.4c1843df@posting.google.com> 

Will Jay wrote:

> Did the x286emul get put back together after the last security update busted it?

It's fixed in OpenServer 5.0.7.  The fix is technically difficult to
backport to 5.0.6 -- it's tied into too many kernel changes and would be
destabilizing.

I'm not saying it will never be fixed on 5.0.6, but for the moment we
need to concentrate on getting 5.0.7 out.

Note that x286emul (and i286emul) still work for root-owned processes.
They can also be fully reenabled by setting allow_dscr_remap = 1 in
/etc/conf/pack.d/kernel/space.c -- but this also reopens the security
hole for which the patch was issued.  The security hole is a local
problem (could allow a local user who already has an unprivileged
account to elevate their privileges).  I tell you this to allow you to
evaluate the alternatives without your own context; not to advocate a
specific choice.

>Bela<
 

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