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Security Update 2003-08-14 Released

Posted by pudge on from the if-you-can-read-this-you-are-not-in-nyc dept.

Delta-9 writes "Today, Apple released Security Update 2003-08-14, which 'addresses a potential vulnerability in the fb_realpath() function which could allow a local or remote user to gain unauthorized root privileges to a system.'" It's on Software Update, and will likely soon appear on the support downloads page.

3 of 63 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Some info about the vulnerability by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    The FTP server included with Jaguar and Panther is lukemftpd, not wu-ftpd.

    But that's okay. Don't let the facts get in the way of your skreed. Carry on.

  2. Ok, people. I'm really sorry. by remahl · · Score: 5, Informative

    It looks like I jumped the gun on this...On several levels...

    First, wu-ftpd is not the ftp server in Mac OS X. lukemftpd is.

    Second, the most relevant advisory is not the quoted one, but this one (which previously appeared on Slashdot): FreeBSD-SA-03:08.realpath.

    As the name implies, the bug originates from FreeBSD, and potentially leaves a long list of programs vulnerable (listed in the advisory).

    This means that the problem is broader than my original message anticipated. It means that other remote services may be vulnerable, including sftp.

    Thanks to the anonymous user who brought my attention to my (pretty bad) mistake.

    Please spread this information instead of the wrongful information in the parent post. Mod parent down.

  3. Re:Some info about the vulnerability by Klaruz · · Score: 4, Informative

    No, apple didn't use wu-ftpd, give them some credit, they used lukemftpd. Originally from netbsd I believe.

    The realpath() function from bsd calculates the length of a resolved directory path. The problem is an off by one error. It actually affects more than than just an ftp deamon since it's a library function, just like the gzip vulnerabilty a while ago. See the sans report for more info.

    3 days from disclosure to security update is pretty good though.