GLSA 200804-16: rsync: Execution of arbitrary code
| Severity: | high |
| Title: | rsync: Execution of arbitrary code |
| Date: | 04/17/2008 |
| Bugs: | |
| ID: | 200804-16 |
Synopsis
A buffer overflow in rsync might lead to the remote execution of arbitrary code when extended attributes are being used.Background
rsync is a file transfer program to keep remote directories synchronized.
Affected packages
| Package | Vulnerable | Unaffected | Architecture(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| net-misc/rsync | < 2.6.9-r6 | >= 2.6.9-r6 | All supported architectures |
Description
Sebastian Krahmer of SUSE reported an integer overflow in the expand_item_list() function in the file util.c which might lead to a heap-based buffer overflow when extended attribute (xattr) support is enabled.
Impact
A remote attacker could send a file containing specially crafted extended attributes to an rsync deamon, or entice a user to sync from an rsync server containing specially crafted files, possibly leading to the execution of arbitrary code.
Please note that extended attributes are only enabled when USE="acl" is enabled, which is the default setting.
Workaround
Disable extended attributes in the rsync daemon by setting "refuse options = xattrs" in the file "/etc/rsyncd.conf" (or append "xattrs" to an existing "refuse" statement). When synchronizing to a server, do not provide the "-X" parameter to rsync. You can also disable the "acl" USE flag for rsync and recompile the package.
Resolution
All rsync users should upgrade to the latest version:
# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=net-misc/rsync-2.6.9-r6"
References
Availability
This GLSA and any updates to it are available for viewing at the Gentoo Security Website:
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 https://bugs.gentoo.org.
License
Copyright 2010 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.