1. Ubuntu Security Notices
  2. USN-1535-1

USN-1535-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities

Publication date

10 August 2012

Overview

Several security issues were fixed in the kernel.

Releases

Packages

Details

An error was discovered in the Linux kernel's network TUN/TAP device
implementation. A local user with access to the TUN/TAP interface (which is
not available to unprivileged users until granted by a root user) could
exploit this flaw to crash the system or potential gain administrative
privileges. (CVE-2012-2136)

An error was discovered in the Linux kernel's memory subsystem (hugetlb).
An unprivileged local user could exploit this flaw to cause a denial of
service (crash the system). (CVE-2012-2390)

An error was discovered in the Linux kernel's network TUN/TAP device
implementation. A local user with access to the TUN/TAP interface (which is
not available to unprivileged users until granted by a root user) could
exploit this flaw to crash the system or potential gain administrative
privileges. (CVE-2012-2136)

An error was discovered in the Linux kernel's memory subsystem (hugetlb).
An unprivileged local user could exploit this flaw to cause a denial of
service (crash the system). (CVE-2012-2390)

Update instructions

After a standard system update you need to reboot your computer to make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

ATTENTION: Due to an unavoidable ABI change the kernel updates have been given a new version number, which requires you to recompile and reinstall all third party kernel modules you might have installed. If you use linux-restricted-modules, you have to update that package as well to get modules which work with the new kernel version. Unless you manually uninstalled the standard kernel metapackages (e.g. linux-generic, linux-server, linux-powerpc), a standard system upgrade will automatically perform this as well.

The problem can be corrected by updating your system to the following package versions:

Ubuntu Release Package Version
10.04 lucid linux-image-2.6.32-42-386 –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-powerpc –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-powerpc64-smp –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic-pae –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-sparc64 –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-generic –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-versatile –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-virtual –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-server –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-ia64 –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-sparc64-smp –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-preempt –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-powerpc-smp –  2.6.32-42.95
linux-image-2.6.32-42-lpia –  2.6.32-42.95

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References

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