Texinfo: Buffer overflow

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200611-16 / texinfo
Release Date	November 21, 2006
Latest Revision	November 21, 2006: 01
Impact	normal
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
sys-apps/texinfo	< 4.8-r5	>= 4.8-r5	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #154316

Synopsis

Texinfo is vulnerable to a buffer overflow that could lead to the execution of arbitrary code.

2. Impact Information

Background

Texinfo is the official documentation system of the GNU project.

Description

Miloslav Trmac from Red Hat discovered a buffer overflow in the "readline()" function of texindex.c. The "readline()" function is called by the texi2dvi and texindex commands.

Impact

By enticing a user to open a specially crafted Texinfo file, an attacker could execute arbitrary code with the rights of the user running Texinfo.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All Texinfo users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=sys-apps/texinfo-4.8-r5"

4. References

CVE-2006-4810

Updated November 21, 2006

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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