Upgrading to Linux-2.0.36

In Linux-2.0.36 a by now well-known security hole in the TCP code has been fixed which exists in all previous kernel versions. It is thus highly advisable to upgrade to Linux-2.0.36.

To see which kernel is running, type uname -r .

Upgrading the kernel in Debian:

The Debian package kernel-package offers special tools for producing a custom-made kernel-image-package that can be installed and administrated like any other Debian package.

I have produced the following kernel-image-packages and put them into hep:/home/ftp/pub/debian_local

(details on their configuration can be found out by inspecting the various config-2.0.36_itp.x.y files in hep:/home/ftp/pub/debian_local)

If there is already a kernel 2.0.36 installed, its modules should be saved by e.g. mv /lib/modules/2.0.36 /lib/modules/2.0.36.bak before installing the new one. Otherwise simply install the new kernel by 

dpkg -i kernel-image-2.0.36_itp...,
verify the resulting lilo setup, and reboot.If in doubt, the old working kernel can be used for a boot floppy by simply copying cp /vmlinuz.old /dev/fd0

Caveat: if you make boot floppies from the above kernels, you will have to set the correct root device on vmlinuz first.

If you want to just unpack one of the above packages, create a temporary directory, say ~/tmp and do
dpkg -x kernel-image...deb ~/tmp
You may then create a boot floppy by
cp ~/tmp/boot/vmlinuz-2.0.36 /dev/fd0
which will need setting the root device by
rdev /dev/fd0 /dev/...

Anton Rebhan <rebhana@tph.tuwien.ac.at>
Page last modified: May 26, 1999