KDE: Local Denial of Service

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200503-22 / kde, dcopserver
Release Date	March 19, 2005
Latest Revision	March 19, 2005: 01
Impact	normal
Exploitable	local

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
kde-base/kdelibs	< 3.3.2-r7	>= 3.3.2-r7, revision >= 3.2.3-r8	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #83814

Synopsis

KDE is vulnerable to a local Denial of Service attack.

2. Impact Information

Background

KDE is a feature-rich graphical desktop environment for Linux and Unix-like Operating Systems. DCOP is KDE's simple IPC/RPC mechanism.

Description

Sebastian Krahmer discovered that it is possible to stall the dcopserver of other users.

Impact

An attacker could exploit this to cause a local Denial of Service by stalling the dcopserver in the authentication process. As a result all desktop functionality relying on DCOP will cease to function.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All kdelibs users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose kde-base/kdelibs

4. References

CAN-2005-0396

Page updated March 19, 2005

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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