CVE-2021-38955 : What You Need to Know
Learn about CVE-2021-38955 affecting IBM AIX 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and VIOS 3.1, enabling local users to cause denial of service. Discover the impact, technical details, and mitigation steps.
IBM AIX 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and VIOS 3.1 are affected by a vulnerability that could allow a local user with elevated privileges to cause a denial of service. Here's what you need to know about CVE-2021-38955.
Understanding CVE-2021-38955
This section provides detailed insights into the impact, technical details, and mitigation strategies for CVE-2021-38955.
What is CVE-2021-38955?
CVE-2021-38955 affects IBM AIX and VIOS systems, allowing a local user to trigger a denial of service through a file creation vulnerability in audit commands.
The Impact of CVE-2021-38955
The vulnerability poses a medium severity threat with a CVSS base score of 4.4, potentially leading to a denial of service in affected systems.
Technical Details of CVE-2021-38955
Get a deeper understanding of the vulnerability, including its description, affected systems, and exploitation mechanism.
Vulnerability Description
A file creation flaw in audit commands on IBM AIX and VIOS systems enables malicious local users to disrupt services, impacting availability.
Affected Systems and Versions
IBM AIX versions 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, and VIOS version 3.1 are confirmed to be vulnerable to this denial of service exploit.
Exploitation Mechanism
The vulnerability leverages local access and elevated privileges to initiate the denial of service attack, potentially causing disruptions.
Mitigation and Prevention
Explore the immediate steps and long-term security practices to safeguard your systems against CVE-2021-38955.
Immediate Steps to Take
Apply official fixes and security patches provided by IBM to mitigate the risk of exploitation and prevent service disruptions.
Long-Term Security Practices
Enhance user access controls, monitoring, and auditing measures to limit the impact of similar vulnerabilities and bolster overall system security.
Patching and Updates
Regularly update AIX and VIOS systems with the latest security patches and configurations to address known vulnerabilities and enhance system resilience.