Emacs, XEmacs: Format string vulnerabilities in movemail

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200502-20 / Emacs
Release Date	February 15, 2005
Latest Revision	July 23, 2006: 02
Impact	normal
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
app-editors/emacs	< 21.4	>= 21.4, < 19	All supported architectures
app-editors/xemacs	< 21.4.15-r3	>= 21.4.15-r3	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #79686

Synopsis

The movemail utility shipped with Emacs and XEmacs contains several format string vulnerabilities, potentially leading to the execution of arbitrary code.

2. Impact Information

Background

GNU Emacs and XEmacs are highly extensible and customizable text editors. movemail is an Emacs utility that can fetch mail on remote mail servers.

Description

Max Vozeler discovered that the movemail utility contains several format string errors.

Impact

An attacker could set up a malicious POP server and entice a user to connect to it using movemail, resulting in the execution of arbitrary code with the rights of the victim user.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All Emacs users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-editors/emacs-21.4"

All XEmacs users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.2: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-editors/xemacs-21.4.15-r3"

4. References

CAN-2005-0100

Page updated February 15, 2005

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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