CVE-2023-29256 Explained : Impact and Mitigation

This article provides an overview of CVE-2023-29256, a vulnerability affecting IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows versions 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5 that leads to information disclosure due to improper privilege management in certain federation features.

Understanding CVE-2023-29256

This section delves into the details of CVE-2023-29256.

What is CVE-2023-29256?

IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows, including Db2 Connect Server versions 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5, is vulnerable to an information disclosure issue owing to inadequate privilege management when specific federation features are utilized. The vulnerability was identified with IBM X-Force ID 252046.

The Impact of CVE-2023-29256

The impact of this vulnerability is classified as medium severity with a CVSS base score of 5.3. An attacker with low privileges can exploit this vulnerability to gain access to sensitive information.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-29256

This section provides technical insights into CVE-2023-29256.

Vulnerability Description

CVE-2023-29256 involves improper privilege management in IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows, resulting in an information disclosure risk when certain federation features are employed.

Affected Systems and Versions

The vulnerability affects IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows versions 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5.

Exploitation Mechanism

The attack complexity is high, with the attack vector being network-based. The confidentiality impact is high, with low privileges required for exploitation.

Mitigation and Prevention

This section outlines steps to mitigate and prevent exploitation of CVE-2023-29256.

Immediate Steps to Take

Users are advised to apply patches released by IBM promptly to address the vulnerability. Additionally, limiting access to sensitive information can help reduce the risk of exploitation.

Long-Term Security Practices

In the long term, organizations should regularly update their systems and follow security best practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities.

Patching and Updates

Ensure that IBM Db2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows versions 10.5, 11.1, and 11.5 are updated with the latest security patches to mitigate the risk of information disclosure.