[linux-security] php vulnerability

[Martin Siegert <siegert@sfu.ca>]

Topic
=====
vulnerability in php mail function may allow execution of arbitrary code

Problem Description
===================
PHP is an HTML-embedded scripting language commonly used with the Apache
HTTP server.

The mail function in PHP 4.x to 4.2.2 may allow local script authors to
bypass safe mode restrictions and modify command line arguments to the
MTA (such as Sendmail) in the fifth argument to mail(), altering MTA
behavior and possibly executing arbitrary local commands.

The mail function in PHP 4.x to 4.2.2 does not filter ASCII control
characters from its arguments, which could allow remote attackers to
modify mail message content, including mail headers, and possibly use
PHP as a "spam proxy."

Script authors should note that all input data should be checked for
unsafe data by any PHP scripts which call functions such as mail().

Affected Systems
================
php versions 4.x upto and including 4.2.2

Solution
========
upgrade to version 4.2.3 or patch package for your distribution

Redhat 7.0
----------
rpm -Fvh php-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-manual-4.1.2-7.0.6.alpha.rpm \
         php-odbc-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-imap-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-mysql-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-devel-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-snmp-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-ldap-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm \
         php-pgsql-4.1.2-7.0.6.i386.rpm

RedHat 7.1
----------
rpm -Fvh php-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-manual-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-odbc-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-imap-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-mysql-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-devel-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-snmp-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-ldap-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm \
         php-pgsql-4.1.2-7.1.6.i386.rpm

RedHat 7.2
----------
rpm -Fvh php-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-manual-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-odbc-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-imap-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-mysql-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-devel-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-snmp-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-ldap-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm \
         php-pgsql-4.1.2-7.2.6.i386.rpm

RedHat 7.3
----------
rpm -Fvh php-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-manual-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-odbc-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-imap-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-mysql-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-devel-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-snmp-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-ldap-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm \
         php-pgsql-4.1.2-7.3.6.i386.rpm