CVE-2020-4756 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

IBM Spectrum Scale and Elastic Storage Server are affected by a vulnerability that could lead to a denial of service attack.

Understanding CVE-2020-4756

This CVE involves IBM Spectrum Scale versions 4.2.0.0 to 4.2.3.23, 5.0.0.0 to 5.0.5.2, and IBM Elastic Storage Server versions 6.0.0 to 6.0.1.0.

What is CVE-2020-4756?

CVE-2020-4756 is a vulnerability in IBM Spectrum Scale and Elastic Storage Server that allows a local attacker to crash the kernel, resulting in a denial of service.

The Impact of CVE-2020-4756

The vulnerability could be exploited by a local attacker to invoke specific ioctls with invalid arguments, leading to a kernel crash and denial of service.

Technical Details of CVE-2020-4756

This section provides detailed technical information about the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows a local attacker to trigger a subset of ioctls with incorrect parameters, causing a kernel crash and denial of service.

Affected Systems and Versions

IBM Spectrum Scale versions 4.2.0.0 to 4.2.3.23 and 5.0.0.0 to 5.0.5.2
IBM Elastic Storage Server versions 6.0.0 to 6.0.1.0

Exploitation Mechanism

Attack Complexity: Low
Attack Vector: Local
Privileges Required: None
User Interaction: None
Exploit Code Maturity: Unproven

Mitigation and Prevention

Protect your systems from CVE-2020-4756 by following these mitigation strategies.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM.
Monitor for any unusual system behavior.
Restrict access to vulnerable systems.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly update and patch IBM Spectrum Scale and Elastic Storage Server.
Conduct security training for personnel to recognize and respond to potential threats.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security bulletins and updates from IBM.
Implement patches promptly to address known vulnerabilities.