CVE-2021-38918 : Security Advisory and Response

This article provides detailed information about CVE-2021-38918, a vulnerability in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor.

Understanding CVE-2021-38918

CVE-2021-38918 is a vulnerability affecting IBM PowerVM Hypervisor, with a high base severity score.

What is CVE-2021-38918?

IBM PowerVM Hypervisor versions FW860, FW940, FW950, and FW1010 are vulnerable to a breach in isolation between peer VMs through specific VM management operations.

The Impact of CVE-2021-38918

The vulnerability has a high CVSS v3.0 base score of 8.6, with high confidentiality impact and potential for exploitation through an unproven exploit code.

Technical Details of CVE-2021-38918

This section delves into the technical aspects of the vulnerability.

Vulnerability Description

A specific sequence of VM management operations in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor can lead to isolation breach between peer VMs, identified by IBM X-Force ID: 210019.

Affected Systems and Versions

Product: IBM PowerVM Hypervisor
Versions: FW860, FW940, FW950, FW1010

Exploitation Mechanism

The vulnerability does not require privileges, has low attack complexity, and can be exploited over a network.

Mitigation and Prevention

Guidelines to mitigate the risks posed by CVE-2021-38918.

Immediate Steps to Take

Apply official fixes provided by IBM for the affected versions.
Monitor IBM's security bulletin for updates and patches.

Long-Term Security Practices

Implement network segmentation to limit the impact of potential breaches.
Regularly review and update VM configurations to enhance security.

Patching and Updates

Stay informed about security updates from IBM for PowerVM Hypervisor.