Apache shot with security holes
Update needed for Linux distributions.
By Matthew Broersma | Techworld | Published: 17:11, 09 January 2006
Companies running Apache and a PostgreSQL database are at risk from serious Internet intrusion.
Red Hat warned of a flaw late last week in mod_auth_pgsql, an Apache module that allows authentication against information in popular open-source database PostgreSQL.
iDefense discovered several format string flaws in the way mod_auth_pgsql logs information, which could allow unauthenticated attackers to execute malicious code with the privileges of the "apache" user, according to Red Hat.
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Red Hat issued patches for the versions of the module used in Red Hat Enterprise Linux versions 3 and 4, saying it doesn't affect earlier versions. As of Monday Ubuntu, Mandriva and other vendors have also issued patches.
Red Hat and other Linux vendors gave the flaw a "critical" rating, as did advisory database maintainer FrSIRT. Secunia, which publishes a separate vulnerabilities database, gave it a "highly critical" rating.
Apache is the most widely used server software on the Internet. It is open-source and is usually run on Linux, but also runs on other operating systems such as Windows.
