USN-10-1: XML library vulnerabilities

Publication date

30 October 2004

Overview

XML library vulnerabilities

Releases


Details

Several buffer overflows have been discovered in libxml2’s FTP connection
and DNS resolution functions. Supplying very long FTP URLs or IP
addresses might result in execution of arbitrary code with the
privileges of the process using libxml2.

Since libxml2 is used in packages like php4-imagick, the vulnerability
also might lead to privilege escalation, like executing attacker
supplied code with a web server’s privileges.

However, this does not affect the core XML parsing code, which is what
the majority of programs use this library for.

Several buffer overflows have been discovered in libxml2’s FTP connection
and DNS resolution functions. Supplying very long FTP URLs or IP
addresses might result in execution of arbitrary code with the
privileges of the process using libxml2.

Since libxml2 is used in packages like php4-imagick, the vulnerability
also might lead to privilege escalation, like executing attacker
supplied code with a web server’s privileges.

However, this does not affect the core XML parsing code, which is what
the majority of programs use this library for.

Update instructions

In general, a standard system update will make all the necessary changes.

Learn more about how to get the fixes.

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

Ubuntu Release Package Version
4.10 warty libxml2 – 

Reduce your security exposure

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