CVE-2021-38882 : Vulnerability Insights and Analysis

IBM Spectrum Scale versions 5.1.0 through 5.1.1.1 are vulnerable to a privilege escalation issue. An attacker with administrative privileges could potentially delete filesystem audit logs prematurely, impacting the integrity of the system.

Understanding CVE-2021-38882

This section provides insights into the nature and impact of the vulnerability.

What is CVE-2021-38882?

CVE-2021-38882 pertains to IBM Spectrum Scale versions 5.1.0 through 5.1.1.1. It enables a privileged admin to delete filesystem audit logging records before their set expiration time.

The Impact of CVE-2021-38882

The vulnerability poses a medium-severity risk with a CVSS base score of 4.4. It requires high privileges for exploitation and could compromise the integrity of affected systems.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-38882

In this section, we delve into the specifics of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

The flaw allows a privileged admin to manipulate filesystem audit logs, leading to potential data integrity issues.

Affected Systems and Versions

IBM Spectrum Scale versions 5.1.0 through 5.1.1.1 are affected by this vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker needs high privileges on the system, enabling them to interfere with filesystem audit logs.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines steps to mitigate and prevent the exploitation of CVE-2021-38882.

Immediate Steps to Take

IBM strongly recommends applying the official fix provided by the vendor to address this vulnerability promptly.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and monitor filesystem audit logs to detect any unauthorized modifications that could indicate exploitation attempts.

Patching and Updates

Stay up to date with security patches and updates from IBM to ensure the ongoing protection of your systems.