[perdition]

Perdition: Vanessa Logger 0.0.1 String Format Bug


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This notice is in reference to a reported root hole in the FreeBSD port of perdition and more specifically the library vanessa_logger that it requires.

http://www.securityfocus.org/archive/1/247148.

First I would like to express great dismay that this was published on a public list (BugTraq) without prior consultation with the author (myself) or to my knowledge the maintainer of the FreeBSD port, Konstantinos Konstantinidis.

There is a string format bug in vanessa_logger 0.0.1 which is what the post to BugTraq makes reference to. FreeBSD, was at the time of the posting shipping this vulnerable version.

vanessa_logger 0.0.2, released on the 29th of June 2001, is not vulnerable to this exploit. FreeBSD have released a patched version of vanessa_logger 0.0.1 which is also not vulnerable. Users should upgrade to either of these.

At this time I would also like to highlight the importance of running perdition as a non-root user. The --username and --group options enable perdition to run as non-root for most of a processes life. If these options are used then the potential risk from any exploits stemming from the string format bug in vanessa_logger are significantly reduced.

For more information on perdition please see http://horms.net/projects/perdition/

Horms
Author of perdition and vanessa_logger
27th December 2001

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