According to http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/v2.4/testing/patch-2.4.27.log a recent kernel fix was applied "e1000: fix probable security hole". This issue in fact is a minor information leak via the e1000 driver that can reveal 24 bytes of kernel memory to users (if e1000 driver is loaded) Note that a number of security databases have incorrect information regarding this issue. Originally, ISS said this was a privilege escalation vulnerability: http://xforce.iss.net/xforce/xfdb/16159 They have since updated this page to explain that it is an information leak, but there are still remnants of the old content viewable (the page still erroneously lists the vulnerability as "high priority" and with "gain privileges" consequences) No CVE name yet available
Created attachment 100821 [details] Patch for e1000 kernel mem leak
CAN-2004-0535
A fix for this problem has just been committed to the RHEL3 U3 patch pool this evening (in kernel version 2.4.21-15.11.EL) with the upgrade of the e1000 driver to version 5.2.52-k1 (which doesn't contain the mem leak addressed by comment #1).
A fix for this problem has also been committed to the RHEL3 E3 patch pool (in kernel version 2.4.21-15.0.4.EL).
An errata has been issued which should help the problem described in this bug report. This report is therefore being closed with a resolution of ERRATA. For more information on the solution and/or where to find the updated files, please follow the link below. You may reopen this bug report if the solution does not work for you. http://rhn.redhat.com/errata/RHSA-2004-413.html