CVE-2019-4536 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM i 7.4 users may face privilege escalation due to incorrect processing during a restore operation, potentially granting elevated privileges to certain user profiles.

Understanding CVE-2019-4536

Users of IBM i 7.4 who have performed a Restore User Profile operation on a system configured with Db2 Mirror for i may encounter a scenario where certain user profiles have been granted higher privileges due to incorrect processing during a restore involving multiple user profiles. If a user with restore privileges exploits this vulnerability, they could acquire elevated privileges on the system that has been restored. This issue has been identified under IBM X-Force ID: 165592.

What is CVE-2019-4536?

Vulnerability in IBM i 7.4 leading to privilege escalation
Exploitable by users with restore privileges
Incorrect processing during user profile restore can grant elevated privileges

The Impact of CVE-2019-4536

Attack Complexity: High
Attack Vector: Local
Base Score: 6.7 (Medium Severity)
Confidentiality Impact: High
Integrity Impact: High
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven
Privileges Required: None
Remediation Level: Official Fix
User Interaction: None

Technical Details of CVE-2019-4536

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability allows users with restore privileges to gain elevated privileges on the system due to incorrect processing during a restore operation.

Affected Systems and Versions

Affected Product: IBM i
Affected Version: 7.4

Exploitation Mechanism

Users with restore privileges can exploit the vulnerability to acquire elevated privileges on the restored system.

Mitigation and Prevention

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply the official fix provided by IBM
Monitor user profile changes for suspicious activity

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update user privileges
Conduct security training for system administrators

Patching and Updates

Ensure timely installation of security patches and updates