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
The movemail utility shipped with Emacs and XEmacs contains several format string vulnerabilities, potentially leading to the execution of arbitrary code.
GNU Emacs and XEmacs are highly extensible and customizable text editors. movemail is an Emacs utility that can fetch mail on remote mail servers.
Max Vozeler discovered that the movemail utility contains several format string errors.
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.
There is no known workaround at this time.
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" |