enscript: User-assisted execution of arbitrary code

1. Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

Advisory Reference	GLSA 200812-02 / enscript
Release Date	December 02, 2008
Latest Revision	December 02, 2008: 02
Impact	normal
Exploitable	remote

Package	Vulnerable versions	Unaffected versions	Architecture(s)
app-text/enscript	< 1.6.4-r4	>= 1.6.4-r4	All supported architectures

Related bugreports: #243228

Synopsis

Two buffer overflows in enscript might lead to the execution of arbitrary code.

2. Impact Information

Background

enscript is a powerful ASCII to PostScript file converter.

Description

Two stack-based buffer overflows in the read_special_escape() function in src/psgen.c have been reported. Ulf Harnhammar of Secunia Research discovered a vulnerability related to the "setfilename" command (CVE-2008-3863), and Kees Cook of Ubuntu discovered a vulnerability related to the "font" escape sequence (CVE-2008-4306).

Impact

An attacker could entice a user or automated system to process specially crafted input with the special escapes processing enabled using the "-e" option, possibly resulting in the execution of arbitrary code.

3. Resolution Information

Workaround

There is no known workaround at this time.

Resolution

All enscript users should upgrade to the latest version:

Code Listing 3.1: Resolution

# emerge --sync
# emerge --ask --oneshot --verbose ">=app-text/enscript-1.6.4-r4"

4. References

Page updated December 02, 2008

Summary: This is a Gentoo Linux Security Advisory

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