CVE-2019-4236 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1 client silently skips ACL entries during backup or archive operations on HP-UX VxFS objects, potentially allowing incorrect ACL restoration by a local attacker.

Understanding CVE-2019-4236

When running backup or archive operations with IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1 client on HP-UX VxFS objects, ACL entries may be skipped, leading to a security vulnerability.

What is CVE-2019-4236?

IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1 client skips ACL entries during backup or archive if more than twelve entries exist, enabling a local attacker to restore objects with incorrect ACLs.

The Impact of CVE-2019-4236

CVSS Score: 5.1 (Medium Severity)
Attack Vector: Local
Confidentiality Impact: Low
Integrity Impact: Low
Availability Impact: None
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven
This vulnerability was identified by IBM X-Force with ID 159418.

Technical Details of CVE-2019-4236

IBM Spectrum Protect 7.1 client vulnerability details.

Vulnerability Description

ACL entries are silently skipped during backup or archive operations on HP-UX VxFS objects with more than twelve entries, potentially leading to incorrect ACL restoration by local attackers.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: Spectrum Protect
Vendor: IBM
Affected Version: 7.1

Exploitation Mechanism

Local attackers can exploit this vulnerability by manipulating ACL entries during object restoration.

Mitigation and Prevention

Protecting systems from CVE-2019-4236.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the official fix provided by IBM to address the ACL skipping issue.
Monitor and review ACL entries for any unauthorized changes.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch IBM Spectrum Protect to mitigate known vulnerabilities.
Implement access controls and monitoring to detect unauthorized ACL modifications.
Educate users on ACL security best practices.

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates provided by IBM to address CVE-2019-4236.