Linux Advisory Watch: June 24th 2005 - The Community's Center for Security


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Linux Advisory Watch: June 24th 2005

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Source: LinuxSecurity.com Contributors - Posted by Benjamin D. Thomas

This week, advisories were released for elinks, mikmod, tcpdump, parted, system-config-securitylevel, checkpolicy, spamassassin, gaim, ruby, arts, kde, util-linux, sudo, gawk, mc, pilot-link, alsa-utils, jpilot, ImageMagick, hwdata, webapp, cpio, squirrelmail, and bzip2. The distributors include Fedora, Gentoo, and Red Hat.

Internet Productivity Suite: Open Source Security - Trust Internet Productivity Suite's open source architecture to give you the best security and productivity applications available. Collaborating with thousands of developers, Guardian Digital security engineers implement the most technologically advanced ideas and methods into their design.

SPF: Ready for Prime Time, Part II
By: Pete O'Hara

Spammers are Using SPF

At this point in time it's no big secret that spammers are publishing their own SPF records to thwart the system and once their domains end up on a URI block list they throw them away and start with new domains with new SPF records. There may be future solutions to this such as "reputation" schemes (i.e. Aspen Framework) to judge a domain credibility but not at this time.

Why isn't there a standard for SPF?

The MARID group (MTA Authorization Records in DNS) was created by the IETF (The Internet Engineering Task Force) to "produce a standard in the area of DNS-stored policies related to and accessible by MTAs." Due to a failure to come to an agreement to a solution the MARID group was dissolved as reported in an email from the IESG secretary (http://www.imc.org/ietf-mxcomp/mail-archive/msg05061.html). "From the outset, however, the working group participants have had fundamental disagreements on the nature of the record to be provided and the mechanism by which it would be checked. Technical discussion of the merits of these mechanisms has not swayed their proponents, and what data is available on existing deployments has not made one choice obviously superior. Each represents trade-offs, and the working group has not succeeded in establishing which trade-offs are the most appropriate for this purpose. These assessments have been difficult in part because they have been moved out of the realm of pure engineering by the need to evaluate IPR and licensing related to at least one proposal in the light of a variety of licenses associated with the deployed base of MTAs."

It seems that the problem came down to the "last call" when a proposed solution (Sender ID) to MARID included PRA (Purported Responsible Address algorithm) which Microsoft claimed intellectual property rights to. Microsoft was willing to allow free use but only in conjunction with a patent license. Most of the MARID participants objected to this and rightfully so. Many strongly suspected the intention to gain control over another piece of the industry.

The Future

The future of email sender verification has several possibilities. Some of which are Yahoo's "DomainKeys", Cisco's "IIM" (Identified Internet Mail), a mix of both of these referred to as "DKIM", the "Aspen Framework" (which incorporates second generation "Unified" SPF) and CSV (Client SMTP Verification). Here is a brief run down on these proposals.

Read Entire Article:
http://infocenter.guardiandigital.com/documentation/spf.html

LinuxSecurity.com Feature Extras:

Getting to Know Linux Security: File Permissions - Welcome to the first tutorial in the 'Getting to Know Linux Security' series. The topic explored is Linux file permissions. It offers an easy to follow explanation of how to read permissions, and how to set them using chmod. This guide is intended for users new to Linux security, therefore very simple. If the feedback is good, I'll consider creating more complex guides for advanced users. Please let us know what you think and how these can be improved.

The Tao of Network Security Monitoring: Beyond Intrusion Detection - To be honest, this was one of the best books that I've read on network security. Others books often dive so deeply into technical discussions, they fail to provide any relevance to network engineers/administrators working in a corporate environment. Budgets, deadlines, and flexibility are issues that we must all address. The Tao of Network Security Monitoring is presented in such a way that all of these are still relevant.

Encrypting Shell Scripts - Do you have scripts that contain sensitive information like passwords and you pretty much depend on file permissions to keep it secure? If so, then that type of security is good provided you keep your system secure and some user doesn't have a "ps -ef" loop running in an attempt to capture that sensitive info (though some applications mask passwords in "ps" output).

Take advantage of our Linux Security discussion list! This mailing list is for general security-related questions and comments. To subscribe send an e-mail to security-discuss-request@linuxsecurity.com with "subscribe" as the subject.

Thank you for reading the LinuxSecurity.com weekly security newsletter. The purpose of this document is to provide our readers with a quick summary of each week's most relevant Linux security headline.

	Fedora
	Fedora Core 4 Update: elinks-0.10.3-3.1
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119321

	Fedora Core 4 Update: mikmod-3.1.6-35.FC4
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119322

	Fedora Core 4 Update: tcpdump-3.8.2-13.FC4
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119323

	Fedora Core 4 Update: parted-1.6.22-3.FC4
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119324

	Fedora Core 4 Update: system-config-securitylevel-1.5.8.1-1
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119325

	Fedora Core 3 Update: checkpolicy-1.17.5-1.2
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119327

	Fedora Core 3 Update: selinux-policy-targeted-1.17.30-3.9
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119328

	Fedora Core 3 Update: spamassassin-3.0.4-1.fc3
	16th, June, 2005 Important update for a Denial of Service vulnerability, plus more bug fixes from upstream. More details available at: http://wiki.apache.org/spamassassin/NextRelease http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119332

	Fedora Core 4 Update: spamassassin-3.0.4-1.fc4
	16th, June, 2005 Important update for a Denial of Service vulnerability, plus more bug fixes from upstream. More details available at: http://wiki.apache.org/spamassassin/NextRelease http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119333

	Fedora Core 3 Update: gaim-1.3.1-0.fc3
	16th, June, 2005 More bug and denial of service fixes. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119334

	Fedora Core 4 Update: gaim-1.3.1-0.fc4
	16th, June, 2005 More bug and denial of service fixes. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119335

	Fedora Core 4 Update: ruby-1.8.2-7.fc4.1
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119338

	Fedora Core 3 Update: ruby-1.8.2-1.fc3.2
	16th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119339

	Fedora Core 4 Update: arts-1.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119342

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdelibs-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119343

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdebase-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119344

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdemultimedia-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119345

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdesdk-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119346

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdeaccessibility-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119347

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdeaddons-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119348

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdeartwork-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119349

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdebindings-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119350

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdeedu-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119351

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdegames-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119352

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdegraphics-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119353

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdenetwork-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119354

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdepim-3.4.1-0.fc4.2
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119355

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdeutils-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119356

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdevelop-3.2.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119357

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdewebdev-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119358

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kdeadmin-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119359

	Fedora Core 4 Update: kde-i18n-3.4.1-0.fc4.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119360

	Fedora Core 4 Update: util-linux-2.12p-9.5
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119363

	Fedora Core 4 Update: sudo-1.6.8p8-2.1
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119364

	Fedora Core 4 Update: gawk-3.1.4-5.2
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119365

	Fedora Core 3 Update: util-linux-2.12a-24.3
	17th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119366

	Fedora Core 4 Update: mc-4.6.1a-0.10.FC4
	20th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119373

	Fedora Core 4 Update: pilot-link-0.12.0-0.pre3.0.fc4.1
	20th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119374

	Fedora Core 4 Update: selinux-policy-targeted-1.23.18-12
	20th, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119375

	Fedora Core 4 Update: alsa-lib-1.0.9rf-2.FC4
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119377

	Fedora Core 4 Update: alsa-utils-1.0.9rf-2.FC4
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119378

	Fedora Core 4 Update: system-config-soundcard-1.2.12-2
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119379

	Fedora Core 4 Update: jpilot-0.99.8-0.pre9.fc4.1
	21st, June, 2005 This is new upstream version which is compatible with new fc4 pilot-link version. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119380

	Fedora Core 3 Update: ruby-1.8.2-1.fc3.3
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119385

	Fedora Core 4 Update: ruby-1.8.2-7.fc4.2
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119386

	Fedora Core 4 Update: ImageMagick-6.2.2.0-3.fc4.0
	21st, June, 2005 The package version numbers of the ImageMagick package could cause upgrades from FC3 to FC4 to miss the newer ImageMagick package in FC4. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119387

	Fedora Core 3 Update: sudo-1.6.7p5-30.3
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119388

	Fedora Core 4 Update: sudo-1.6.8p8-2.2
	21st, June, 2005 Updated package. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119389

	Fedora Core 4 Update: hwdata-0.158.1-1
	22nd, June, 2005 This update adds the hisax modules to the hotplug blacklist; this ensures they aren't loaded at boot, so that the ISDN script can load them. This works around the problems created by the ISDN module configuration parameters being written to /etc/sysconfig/isdncard instead of /etc/modprobe.conf. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119399

	Gentoo
	Gentoo: webapp-config Insecure temporary file handling
	17th, June, 2005 The webapp-config utility insecurely creates temporary files in a world writable directory, potentially allowing the execution of arbitrary commands. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119341

	Gentoo: Sun and Blackdown Java Applet privilege escalation
	19th, June, 2005 Sun's and Blackdown's JDK or JRE may allow untrusted applets to elevate their privileges. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119367

	Gentoo: PeerCast Format string vulnerability
	19th, June, 2005 PeerCast suffers from a format string vulnerability that could allow arbitrary code execution. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119368

	Gentoo: cpio Directory traversal vulnerability
	19th, June, 2005 cpio contains a flaw which may allow a specially crafted cpio archive to extract files to an arbitrary directory. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119370

	Gentoo: SpamAssassin 3, Vipul's Razor Denial of Service vulnerability
	21st, June, 2005 SpamAssassin and Vipul's Razor are vulnerable to a Denial of Service attack when handling certain malformed messages. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119376

	Gentoo: Tor Information disclosure
	21st, June, 2005 A flaw in Tor may allow the disclosure of arbitrary memory portions. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119390

	Gentoo: SquirrelMail Several XSS vulnerabilities
	21st, June, 2005 Squirrelmail is vulnerable to several cross-site scripting vulnerabilities which could lead to a compromise of webmail accounts. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119391

	Gentoo: Cacti Several vulnerabilities
	22nd, June, 2005 Cacti is vulnerable to several SQL injection and file inclusion vulnerabilities. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119396

	Gentoo: Trac File upload vulnerability
	22nd, June, 2005 Trac may allow remote attackers to upload files, possibly leading to the execution of arbitrary code. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119398

	Gentoo: sudo Arbitrary command execution
	23rd, June, 2005 A vulnerability in sudo may allow local users to elevate privileges. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119400

	Red Hat
	RedHat: Low: bzip2 security update
	16th, June, 2005 Updated bzip2 packages that fix multiple issues are now available. This update has been rated as having low security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119329

	RedHat: Moderate: mc security update
	16th, June, 2005 Updated mc packages that fix several security issues are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1. This update has been rated as having moderate security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119330

	RedHat: Moderate: gaim security update
	16th, June, 2005 An updated gaim package that fixes two denial of service issues is now available. This update has been rated as having moderate security impact by the Red Hat Security Response Team. http://www.linuxsecurity.com/content/view/119331