(RHSA-2004:183) kernel security update

The Linux kernel handles the basic functions of the operating system.

iSEC Security Research discovered a flaw in the ip_setsockopt() function
code of the Linux kernel versions 2.4.22 to 2.4.25 inclusive. This flaw
also affects the 2.4.21 kernel in Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 which
contained a backported version of the affected code. A local user could
use this flaw to gain root privileges. The Common Vulnerabilities and
Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name CAN-2004-0424 to
this issue.

iDefense reported a buffer overflow flaw in the ISO9660 filesystem code.
An attacker could create a malicious filesystem in such a way that root
privileges may be obtained if the filesystem is mounted. The Common
Vulnerabilities and Exposures project (cve.mitre.org) has assigned the name
CAN-2004-0109 to this issue.

All Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 users are advised to upgrade their kernels
to the packages associated with their machine architectures and
configurations as listed in this erratum.