CVE-2023-30988 : Security Advisory and Response

Understanding CVE-2023-30988

This article provides details about the CVE-2023-30988 vulnerability affecting IBM i products 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5.

What is CVE-2023-30988?

The IBM i 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 products' Facsimile Support for i is affected by a local privilege escalation vulnerability. This vulnerability allows a malicious actor with command line access to the host operating system to elevate privileges and gain root access to the system.

The Impact of CVE-2023-30988

The impact of this vulnerability is rated as high, with a CVSS v3.1 base score of 8.4. It poses a threat to confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the affected systems, with no privileges required for exploitation.

Technical Details of CVE-2023-30988

This section outlines the vulnerability description, affected systems and versions, and the exploitation mechanism.

Vulnerability Description

The vulnerability in Facsimile Support for i allows attackers to locally escalate privileges, enabling them to gain root access to the host operating system.

Affected Systems and Versions

IBM i versions 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, and 7.5 are impacted by this privilege escalation vulnerability.

Exploitation Mechanism

Attackers with command line access can exploit this vulnerability to escalate privileges and compromise the system.

Mitigation and Prevention

Learn about the immediate steps to take, long-term security practices, and the importance of patching and updates.

Immediate Steps to Take

Immediately restrict command line access and closely monitor user activities to prevent unauthorized privilege escalation.

Long-Term Security Practices

Regularly review and update access controls, conduct security training for users, and implement least privilege principles to enhance system security.

Patching and Updates

Apply the latest security patches and updates provided by IBM to address and mitigate the privilege escalation vulnerability in IBM i products.