Linux kernel random number generator weak security

kernel-randomnumber-weak-security (34781) The risk level is classified as MediumMedium Risk

Description:

Linux kernel could provide weaker than expected security, caused by the improper handling of seeds for the random number generator. A remote attacker could exploit this vulnerability to bypass security restrictions and gain unauthorized access to the applications.

Platforms Affected:

  • Canonical, Ubuntu 6.06 LTS
  • Canonical, Ubuntu 6.10
  • Canonical, Ubuntu 7.04
  • Debian, Debian Linux 4.0
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test9-cvs
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.0 test4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.10 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.10 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.10 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc1-bk6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.11.9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.22
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.12.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13 rc7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.13.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.14.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.15.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16 rc7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.13
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.14
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.15
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.16
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.17
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.18
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.19
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.20
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.21
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.22
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.23
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.24
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.25
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.26
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.27
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.28
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.29
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.30
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.31
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.32
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.33
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.34
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.35
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.36
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.37
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.38
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.39
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.40
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.41
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.16.9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.13
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.14
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.17.9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18 rc7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.18.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.19.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.2 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.2 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.2 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.10
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.11
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.12
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.13
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.14
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.20.9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21 git2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21.2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.21.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.3 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.3 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.3 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.3 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.4 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.4 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.4 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.5 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.5 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.5 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.6 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.6
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.6 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.6 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.7 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.7 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.7
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.7 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8.1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.8.1.5
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9 rc1
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9 rc2
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9 rc3
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9 rc4
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9
  • Linux, Kernel 2.6.9 final
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2007
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2007 X86_64
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2007.1
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2007.1 X86_64
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux 2008.0 X86_64
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux Corporate Server 3.0 X86_64
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux Corporate Server 3.0
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux Corporate Server 4.0
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Linux Corporate Server 4.0 X86_64
  • MandrakeSoft, Mandrake Multi Network Firewall 2.0
  • Novell, Linux Desktop 9
  • Novell, Linux POS 9
  • Novell, Open Enterprise Server
  • Novell, Open Enterprise Server
  • Novell, OpenSUSE 10.2
  • Novell, SLE SDK 10 SP1
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 SP1
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
  • Novell, SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10 SP1
  • OpenPKG, OpenPKG CURRENT
  • OpenPKG, OpenPKG Enterprise E1.0-SOLID
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 5 Client Workstation
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 5 Client
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux 5
  • RedHat, Enterprise Linux Desktop 5.0
  • SuSE, SLE SDK 10
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux 10.0
  • SuSE, SuSE Linux 10.1
  • SuSE, SuSE SLES 9

Remedy:

Upgrade to the latest version of the Linux kernel (2.6.21.4 or later), available from the Linux Kernel Web site. See References.

For Ubuntu Linux (linux-source):
Refer to USN-470-1 and USN-489-1 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For Red Hat Linux (kernel):
Refer to RHSA-2007:0376 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For Debian GNU/Linux (linux-2.6):
Refer to DSA-1356-1 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For Mandriva Linux (kernel):
Refer to MDKSA-2007:171 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For SUSE Linux (kernel):
Refer to SUSE-SA:2007:051 for patch, upgrade, or suggested workaround information. See References.

For other distributions:
Contact your vendor for upgrade or patch information.

Consequences:

Bypass Security

References:

  • The Linux Kernel Archives, ChangeLog-2.6.21.4 at http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.6/ChangeLog-2.6.21.4.
  • BID-24390: Linux Kernel PRNG Entropy Weakness
  • BID-25029: Linux Kernel Random.C Device Reseed Weakness
  • CVE-2007-2453: The random number feature in Linux kernel 2.6 before 2.6.20.13, and 2.6.21.x before 2.6.21.4, (1) does not properly seed pools when there is no entropy, or (2) uses an incorrect cast when extracting entropy, which might cause the random number generator to provide the same values after reboots on systems without an entropy source.
  • DSA-1356: linux-2.6 -- several vulnerabilities
  • MDKSA-2007:171: Updated kernel packages fix multiple vulnerabilities and bugs
  • MDKSA-2007:196: Updated kernel packages fix multiple vulnerabilities and bugs
  • MDKSA-2007:216: Updated kernel packages fix multiple vulnerabilities and bugs
  • OpenPKG-SA-2007.012: Samba
  • RHSA-2007-0376: Important: kernel security and bug fix update
  • SA25594: Linux Kernel Multiple Vulnerabilities
  • SECTRACK ID: 1018248: Linux Kernel Random Number Generator May Not Generate Random Numbers in Certain Situations
  • SUSE-SA:2007:043: Linux kernel update
  • SUSE-SA:2007:051: Linux kernel security update
  • USN-470-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
  • USN-486-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
  • USN-489-1: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
  • VUPEN/ADV-2007-2105: Linux Kernel Multiple Remote Denial of Service and Information Disclosure Vulnerabilities

Reported:

Jun 07, 2007

The information within this database may change without notice. Use of this information constitutes acceptance for use in an AS IS condition. There are NO warranties, implied or otherwise, with regard to this information or its use. Any use of this information is at the user's risk. In no event shall the author/distributor (IBM Internet Security Systems X-Force) be held liable for any damages whatsoever arising out of or in connection with the use or spread of this information.

For corrections or additions please email xforce@iss.net

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