Input validation error in linux-pam - CVE-2010-4706

Vulnerability details

The vulnerability allows a remote non-authenticated attacker to perform a denial of service (DoS) attack.

The pam_sm_close_session function in pam_xauth.c in the pam_xauth module in Linux-PAM (aka pam) 1.1.2 and earlier does not properly handle a failure to determine a certain target uid, which might allow local users to delete unintended files by executing a program that relies on the pam_xauth PAM check.

Affected software

How to mitigate CVE-2010-4706

External References

• http://git.altlinux.org/people/ldv/packages/?p=pam.git;a=commit;h=Linux-PAM-1_1_2-3-g05dafc06cd3dfeb7c4b24942e4e1ae33ff75a123
• http://openwall.com/lists/oss-security/2010/10/03/1
• http://secunia.com/advisories/49711
• http://security.gentoo.org/glsa/glsa-201206-31.xml
• http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/46045
• https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/65035

Related Security Bulletins

• Multiple vulnerabilities in git.kernel linux-pam
• Gentoo update for Linux-PAM