kernel security and bug fix update (RHSA-2011-0303)

Original Release Date: April 28, 2011
Last Revised: June 24, 2015
Number: ASA-2011-089
Risk Level: Medium
Advisory Version: 11.0
Advisory Status: Final

1. Overview:

The kernel packages contain the Linux kernel, the core of any Linux operating system.

This update fixes the following security issues:

* A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's garbage collector for AF_UNIX sockets. A local, unprivileged user could use this flaw to trigger a denial of service (out-of-memory condition). The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2010-4249 to this issue.

* A flaw was found in the Linux kernel's networking subsystem. If the number of packets received exceeded the receiver's buffer limit, they were queued in a backlog, consuming memory, instead of being discarded. A remote attacker could abuse this flaw to cause a denial of service (out-of-memory condition). The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2010-4251 to this issue.

* A missing initialization flaw was found in the ethtool_get_regs() function in the Linux kernel's ethtool IOCTL handler. A local user who has the CAP_NET_ADMIN capability could use this flaw to cause an information leak. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CVE-2010-4655 to this issue.

More information about these vulnerabilities can be found in the security advisory issued by Red Hat:

2. Avaya System Products using a modified version of RHEL5 with affected components/packages installed:

Product: Affected Version(s): Risk Level: Actions:
Avaya Aura® Application Enablement Services 5.2.3 and earlier, 6.1, 6.1.1 Medium Application Enablement Services 6.1 and 6.1.1: Upgrade to 6.1.2 or later.
Application Enablement Services 5.2.3 and earlier: Upgrade to 5.2.4 or 6.1.2 or later.
Avaya Aura® Application Server 5300:
  • SIP Core
2.0 Medium Upgrade to Application Server 5300 2.0 Patch Bundle 12.
Avaya Aura® Communication Manager 5.2.x, 6.0.x Medium For Communication Manager 5.2.x upgrade to 5.2.1 SP4.
For Communication Manager 6.0.x upgrade to Communication Manager 6.2 or later.
Avaya Communication Server 1000:
  • CS1000E
  • CS1000M
  • CS1000E/CS1000M Signaling Server
6.0, 7.0, 7.5 Medium Upgrade to Communication Server 1000 7.6 or later
Avaya Aura® Conferencing Standard Edition 6.0.x Medium See recommended actions and mitigating factors table below. This advisory will not be addressed as no further releases are planned. It is recommended that customers migrate to one of Avaya's conferencing solutions including Avaya Aura® Conferencing 7.0 or later.
Avaya IP Office Application Server 6.1, 7.0 Medium Upgrade to IP Office Application Server 8.0 or later.
Avaya IQ 5.2 thru 5.2.5 Medium Upgrade to IQ 5.2.6 Turnkey and install Patch 2 or later.
Avaya Aura® Presence Services 6.0, 6.1, 6.1.1 Medium Upgrade to Presence Services 6.1.2 or later.
Avaya Aura® Session Manager 1.1, 5.2, 6.0, 6.1 including 6.1 SP1 thru SP4 Medium Upgrade to Session Manager 6.1 SP5 or later.
Avaya Aura® System Manager 5.2, 6.0, 6.1.1, 6.1.2, 6.1.3 Medium Upgrade to System Manager 6.1 SP4 or later.
Avaya Aura® System Platform 1.1, 6.0, 6.0.3 without vsp-patch-6.0.3.6.3 Medium Upgrade to System Platform 6.0.3 and install vsp-patch-6.0.3.6.3 or later.
Avaya Aura® Communication Manager Utility Services 6.0, 6.1 Medium Upgrade to Communication Manager Utility Services 6.2 or later.
Avaya Voice Portal 5.0, 5.1, 5.1.1 Medium Upgrade to Avaya Enterprise Linux for Voice Portal 5.1 SP2 and Voice Portal 5.1 SP2 or later.

Recommended Actions for System Products:
Avaya strongly recommends that customers follow networking and security best practices by implementing firewalls, ACLs, physical security or other appropriate access restrictions. Though Avaya believes such restrictions should always be in place, risk to Avaya products and the surrounding network from this potential vulnerability may be mitigated by ensuring these practices are implemented until such time as an Avaya provided product update or the recommended Avaya action is applied. Further restrictions as deemed necessary based on the customer's security policies may be required during this interim period, but customers should not modify the System Product operating system or application unless the change is approved by Avaya. Making changes that are not approved may void the Avaya product service contract.

Mitigating Factors:

When determining risk, Avaya takes into account many factors as outlined by Avaya's Security Vulnerability Classification Policy. The following table describes factors that mitigate the risk of specific vulnerabilities for affected Avaya products:

Vulnerability Mitigating Factors
CVE-2010-4249
CVE-2010-4655
These are a low for all products as they would require privileged account access to exploit.
CVE-2010-4251
This is a medium for all products per the Security Vulnerability Classification Policy

3. Avaya Software-Only Products:

Avaya software-only products operate on general-purpose operating systems. Occasionally vulnerabilities may be discovered in the underlying operating system or applications that come with the operating system. These vulnerabilities often do not impact the software-only product directly but may threaten the integrity of the underlying platform.

In the case of this advisory Avaya software-only products are not affected by the vulnerability directly but the underlying Linux platform may be. Customers should determine on which Linux operating system the product was installed and then follow that vendor's guidance.

Product: Actions:
Avaya Aura® Application Enablement Services 4.x/5.x Depending on the Operating System provided by customers, the affected package may be installed on the underlying Operating System supporting the AES application.
CVLAN Depending on the Operating System provided by customers, the affected package may be installed on the underlying Operating System supporting the CVLAN application.
Avaya Integrated Management Suite (IMS) Depending on the Operating System provided by customers, the affected package may be installed on the underlying Operating System supporting the IMS application.
Avaya Aura® Presence Services Depending on the Operating System provided by customers, the affected package may be installed on the underlying Operating System supporting the PS application.
Avaya Aura® System Manager 1.0 Depending on the Operating System provided by customers, the affected package may be installed on the underlying Operating System supporting the SMGR application.
Voice Portal Depending on the Operating System provided by customers, the affected package may be installed on the underlying Operating System supporting the Voice Portal application.

Recommended Actions for Software-Only Products:
In the event that the affected package is installed, Avaya recommends that customers follow recommended actions supplied by Red Hat regarding their Enterprise Linux.

4. Additional Information:

Additional information may also be available via the Avaya support website and through your Avaya account representative. Please contact your Avaya product support representative, or dial 1-800-242-2121, with any questions.

5. Disclaimer:

ALL INFORMATION IS BELIEVED TO BE CORRECT AT THE TIME OF PUBLICATION AND IS PROVIDED "AS IS". AVAYA INC., ON BEHALF ITSELF AND ITS SUBSIDIARIES AND AFFILIATES (HEREINAFTER COLLECTIVELY REFERRED TO AS "AVAYA"), DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FURTHERMORE, AVAYA MAKES NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES THAT THE STEPS RECOMMENDED WILL ELIMINATE SECURITY OR VIRUS THREATS TO CUSTOMERS' SYSTEMS. IN NO EVENT SHALL AVAYA BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE INFORMATION OR RECOMMENDED ACTIONS PROVIDED HEREIN, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, STATUTORY, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF AVAYA HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

THE INFORMATION PROVIDED HERE DOES NOT AFFECT THE SUPPORT AGREEMENTS IN PLACE FOR AVAYA PRODUCTS. SUPPORT FOR AVAYA PRODUCTS CONTINUES TO BE EXECUTED AS PER EXISTING AGREEMENTS WITH AVAYA.

6. Revision History:

V 1.0 - April 28, 2011 - Initial Statement issued.
V 2.0 - June 24, 2011 - Changed SM and SMGR affected versions and AS5300, CM, SM and SMGR actions.
V 3.0 - December 14, 2011 - Changed VP affected versions and actions.
V 4.0 - March 7, 2012 - Changed AES affected versions and IP Office Applications Server and PS affected versions and actions.
V 5.0 - March 28, 2012 - Changed CM and US actions and SP affected versions and actions.
V 6.0 - May 22, 2012 - Changed AES actions.
V 7.0 - October 16, 2012 - Changed AES affected versions and actions.
V 8.0 - October 18, 2012 - No ASA changes - republishing only.
V 9.0 - May 31, 2013 - Changed CS1000 actions.
V 10.0 - July 2, 2013 - Changed CSE actions.
V 11.0 - June 24, 2015 - Changed IQ affected versions and actions and set advisory status to final.

Send information regarding any discovered security problems with Avaya products to either the contact noted in the product's documentation or securityalerts@avaya.com.

Linux® is the registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in the U.S. and other countries.

© 2011 Avaya Inc. All Rights Reserved. All trademarks identifying Avaya products by the ® or ™ are registered trademarks or trademarks, respectively, of Avaya Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.