RHEL 5 : dnsmasq (RHSA-2009:1238)

medium Nessus Plugin ID 40834

Synopsis

The remote Red Hat host is missing a security update.

Description

An updated dnsmasq package that fixes two security issues is now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5.

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

Dnsmasq is a lightweight and easy to configure DNS forwarder and DHCP server.

Core Security Technologies discovered a heap overflow flaw in dnsmasq when the TFTP service is enabled (the '--enable-tftp' command line option, or by enabling 'enable-tftp' in '/etc/dnsmasq.conf'). If the configured tftp-root is sufficiently long, and a remote user sends a request that sends a long file name, dnsmasq could crash or, possibly, execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the dnsmasq service (usually the unprivileged 'nobody' user). (CVE-2009-2957)

A NULL pointer dereference flaw was discovered in dnsmasq when the TFTP service is enabled. This flaw could allow a malicious TFTP client to crash the dnsmasq service. (CVE-2009-2958)

Note: The default tftp-root is '/var/ftpd', which is short enough to make it difficult to exploit the CVE-2009-2957 issue; if a longer directory name is used, arbitrary code execution may be possible. As well, the dnsmasq package distributed by Red Hat does not have TFTP support enabled by default.

All users of dnsmasq should upgrade to this updated package, which contains a backported patch to correct these issues. After installing the updated package, the dnsmasq service must be restarted for the update to take effect.

Solution

Update the affected dnsmasq package.

See Also

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2009-2957

https://access.redhat.com/security/cve/cve-2009-2958

https://access.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2009:1238

Plugin Details

Severity: Medium

ID: 40834

File Name: redhat-RHSA-2009-1238.nasl

Version: 1.26

Type: local

Agent: unix

Published: 9/2/2009

Updated: 1/14/2021

Supported Sensors: Agentless Assessment, Frictionless Assessment Agent, Frictionless Assessment AWS, Frictionless Assessment Azure, Nessus Agent, Nessus

Risk Information

VPR

Risk Factor: Medium

Score: 6.7

CVSS v2

Risk Factor: Medium

Base Score: 6.8

Temporal Score: 5.3

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

Vulnerability Information

CPE: p-cpe:/a:redhat:enterprise_linux:dnsmasq, cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5, cpe:/o:redhat:enterprise_linux:5.3

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

Exploit Available: true

Exploit Ease: Exploits are available

Patch Publication Date: 8/31/2009

Vulnerability Publication Date: 9/2/2009

Reference Information

CVE: CVE-2009-2957, CVE-2009-2958

BID: 36120

CWE: 119, 399

RHSA: 2009:1238