Re: Linux Kernel 2.2.13 shooting Solaris ADSM server

Matthias Andree (matthias.andree@gmx.de)
22 Dec 1999 15:23:30 +0100

adve@oce.nl (Arjan van de Ven) writes:

> In article <19991222094710.B809EB786C@dungeon.inka.de> you wrote:
> > adsm has a buffer overflow:
> > "2.1.131" or "2.2.13" or any <= 7 char string as version number is ok.
> > "2.1.131a" or "2.1.131aa" or "2.1.131-preX" or whatever kernel with
> > 8 or more chars will crash the server.
>
> > so, if you used some -pre kernel version, this should be it.
> > edit Makefile and remove the extraversion.
>
> Hmm. I think it might be a good idea to provide snprintf next to sprintf...
> (Or even remove sprintf to make sure everyone uses the safe version)

It might be a rather good idea if the programmers at IBM check string
lengths before letting their software die after client input. Nota bene:
Solaris 7 returns up to 257 charactes as release version, Linux
65. Using 8 byte buffers is not a sign of big care.

> If any of the kernel-gods wnat this, I'll make a patch for it in the comming
> week.

I'm not sure, it would most probably not solve our problem, since: the
client runs on Linux (and invokes uname, getting a 22 character release
string), the server software runs on a Solaris machine, the server
software dies. Nothing wrong with the Linux kernel, IMNSHO. (Unless, of
course, the kernel choked when somebody put a >= 60 character
EXTRAVERSION into the /usr/src/linux/Makefile. Never tried so.)

Thanks for your offer anyways. 

-- 
Matthias Andree


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