8.5 - RHSA-2010:0428

Problem Description:

Updated postgresql packages that fix multiple security issues are now available for Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4.

The Red Hat Security Response Team has rated this update as having moderate security impact. Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) base scores, which give detailed severity ratings, are available for each vulnerability from the CVE links in the References section.

2. Relevant releases/architectures:

Red Hat Enterprise Linux AS version 4 - i386, ia64, ppc, s390, s390x, x86_64 Red Hat Enterprise Linux Desktop version 4 - i386, x86_64 Red Hat Enterprise Linux ES version 4 - i386, ia64, x86_64 Red Hat Enterprise Linux WS version 4 - i386, ia64, x86_64

3. Description:

PostgreSQL is an advanced object-relational database management system (DBMS). PL/Perl and PL/Tcl allow users to write PostgreSQL functions in the Perl and Tcl languages, and are installed in trusted mode by default. In trusted mode, certain operations, such as operating system level access, are restricted.

A flaw was found in the way PostgreSQL enforced permission checks on scripts written in PL/Perl. If the PL/Perl procedural language was registered on a particular database, an authenticated database user running a specially-crafted PL/Perl script could use this flaw to bypass intended PL/Perl trusted mode restrictions, allowing them to run arbitrary Perl scripts with the privileges of the database server. (CVE-2010-1169)

Red Hat would like to thank Tim Bunce for responsibly reporting the CVE-2010-1169 flaw.

A flaw was found in the way PostgreSQL enforced permission checks on scripts written in PL/Tcl. If the PL/Tcl procedural language was registered on a particular database, an authenticated database user running a specially-crafted PL/Tcl script could use this flaw to bypass intended PL/Tcl trusted mode restrictions, allowing them to run arbitrary Tcl scripts with the privileges of the database server. (CVE-2010-1170)

A buffer overflow flaw was found in the way PostgreSQL retrieved a substring from the bit string for BIT() and BIT VARYING() SQL data types. An authenticated database user running a specially-crafted SQL query could use this flaw to cause a temporary denial of service (postgres daemon crash) or, potentially, execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the database server. (CVE-2010-0442)

An integer overflow flaw was found in the way PostgreSQL used to calculate the size of the hash table for joined relations. An authenticated database user could create a specially-crafted SQL query which could cause a temporary denial of service (postgres daemon crash) or, potentially, execute arbitrary code with the privileges of the database server. (CVE-2010-0733)

PostgreSQL improperly protected session-local state during the execution of an index function by a database superuser during the database maintenance operations. An authenticated database user could use this flaw to elevate their privileges via specially-crafted index functions. (CVE-2009-4136)

These packages upgrade PostgreSQL to version 7.4.29. Refer to the PostgreSQL Release Notes for a list of changes:

http://www.postgresql.org/docs/7.4/static/release.html

All PostgreSQL users are advised to upgrade to these updated packages, which correct these issues. If the postgresql service is running, it will be automatically restarted after installing this update.

4. Solution:

Before applying this update, make sure all previously-released errata relevant to your system have been applied.

This update is available via the Red Hat Network. Details on how to use the Red Hat Network to apply this update are available at http://kbase.redhat.com/faq/docs/DOC-11259

5. Bugs fixed (http://bugzilla.redhat.com/):

546321 - CVE-2009-4136 postgresql: SQL privilege escalation via modifications to session-local state 546621 - CVE-2010-0733 postgresql: Integer overflow in hash table size calculation 559259 - CVE-2010-0442 postgresql: substring() negative length argument buffer overflow 582615 - CVE-2010-1169 PostgreSQL: PL/Perl Intended restriction bypass 583072 - CVE-2010-1170 PostgreSQL: PL/Tcl Intended restriction bypass