Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 200809-09 - A memory leak in Postfix might allow local users to cause a Denial of Service. It has been discovered than Postfix leaks an epoll file descriptor when executing external commands, e.g. user-controlled $HOME/.forward or $HOME/.procmailrc files. NOTE: This vulnerability only concerns Postfix instances running on Linux 2.6 kernels. Versions less than 2.4.9 are affected.
9c8335b7774c98cfeaed558a9d598717ed37fac34ab4a3fb906fe1da12090605
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Gentoo Linux Security Advisory GLSA 200809-09
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http://security.gentoo.org/
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Severity: Normal
Title: Postfix: Denial of Service
Date: September 19, 2008
Bugs: #236453
ID: 200809-09
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Synopsis
========
A memory leak in Postfix might allow local users to cause a Denial of
Service.
Background
==========
Postfix is Wietse Venema's mailer that attempts to be fast, easy to
administer, and secure, as an alternative to the widely-used Sendmail
program.
Affected packages
=================
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Package / Vulnerable / Unaffected
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1 mail-mta/postfix < 2.4.9 >= 2.4.9
>= 2.5.5
mail-mta/postfix < 2.5.5 >= 2.4.9
>= 2.5.5
Description
===========
It has been discovered than Postfix leaks an epoll file descriptor when
executing external commands, e.g. user-controlled $HOME/.forward or
$HOME/.procmailrc files. NOTE: This vulnerability only concerns Postfix
instances running on Linux 2.6 kernels.
Impact
======
A local attacker could exploit this vulnerability to reduce the
performance of Postfix, and possibly trigger an assertion, resulting in
a Denial of Service.
Workaround
==========
Allow only trusted users to control delivery to non-Postfix commands.
Resolution
==========
All Postfix 2.4 users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=mail-mta/postfix-2.4.9"
All Postfix 2.5 users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=mail-mta/postfix-2.5.5"
References
==========
[ 1 ] CVE-2008-3889
http://cve.mitre.org/cgi-bin/cvename.cgi?name=CVE-2008-3889
Availability
============
This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at
the Gentoo Security Website:
http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-200809-09.xml
Concerns?
=========
Security is a primary focus of Gentoo Linux and ensuring the
confidentiality and security of our users machines is of utmost
importance to us. Any security concerns should be addressed to
security@gentoo.org or alternatively, you may file a bug at
http://bugs.gentoo.org.
License
=======
Copyright 2008 Gentoo Foundation, Inc; referenced text
belongs to its owner(s).
The contents of this document are licensed under the
Creative Commons - Attribution / Share Alike license.
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5