Postfix file descriptor denial of service

postfix-filedescriptor-dos (44865) The risk level is classified as MediumMedium Risk

Description:

Postfix is vulnerable to a denial of service, caused by a file descriptor leak during the execution of non-Postfix commands. By gaining access to a leaked epoll file descriptor, a local attacker could exploit this vulnerability to cause a performance reduction resulting in a denial of service.

*CVSS:

Base Score: 2.1
  Access Vector: Local
  Access Complexity: Low
  Authentication: None
  Confidentiality Impact: None
  Integrity Impact: None
  Availability Impact: Partial
 
Temporal Score: 1.6
  Exploitability: Unproven
  Remediation Level: Official-Fix
  Report Confidence: Confirmed

Consequences:

Denial of Service

Remedy:

Upgrade to the latest version of Postfix (2.4.9, 2.5.5, 2.6-20080902 or later), available from the Postfix Web site. See References.

References:

  • Postfix Announcements, 9/2/2008: Postfix Linux-only local denial of service.
  • Postfix Web site: The Postfix Home Page.
  • RPL-2769: postfix denial-of-service CVE-2008-3889.
  • BID-30977: Postfix 'epoll' Linux Event Handler Local Denial of Service Vulnerability
  • CVE-2008-3889: Postfix 2.4 before 2.4.9, 2.5 before 2.5.5, and 2.6 before 2.6-20080902, when used with the Linux 2.6 kernel, leaks epoll file descriptors during execution of non-Postfix commands, which allows local users to cause a denial of service (application slowdown or exit) via a crafted command, as demonstrated by a command in a .forward file.
  • GLSA-200809-09: Postfix: Denial of Service
  • MDVSA-2008:190: postfix
  • OSVDB ID: 48108: Postfix epoll File Descriptor Leak Local DoS
  • SA31716: Postfix epoll File Descriptor Leak Security Issue
  • SECTRACK ID: 1020800: Postfix Linux epoll File Descriptor Leak Lets Local Users Deny Service
  • SUSE-SR:2008:018: SUSE Security Summary Report

Platforms Affected:

  • Canonical Ubuntu 7.10
  • Canonical Ubuntu 8.04 LTS
  • Gentoo Linux
  • Linux Kernel 2.6.0
  • MandrakeSoft Mandrake Linux 2008.0 X86_64
  • MandrakeSoft Mandrake Linux 2008.0
  • MandrakeSoft Mandrake Linux 2008.1
  • MandrakeSoft Mandrake Linux 2008.1 X86_64
  • Turbolinux Turbolinux 10 Server
  • Turbolinux Turbolinux 10 Server x64 Ed
  • Turbolinux Turbolinux 11 Server
  • Turbolinux Turbolinux 11 Server x64 Ed
  • Turbolinux Turbolinux Appliance Server 1.0 Workgroup Ed
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.4
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.4.7
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.4.8
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.5.0
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.5.1
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.5.2
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.5.3
  • Wietse Venema Postfix 2.5.4

Reported:

Sep 03, 2008

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