Summary

IBM has released updated AIX and VIOS fixes for CVE-2017-5715, known as Spectre, that are only applicable to the following POWER9 systems:

9040-MR9
9080-M9S

The prtconf command may be used to find the system model number.
For example: prtconf | grep “System Model”

Vulnerability Details

CVEID: CVE-2017-5715

Affected Products and Versions

AIX 6.1, 7.1, 7.2

VIOS 2.2.x

The vulnerabilities in the following filesets are being addressed:

key_fileset = aix

Fileset Lower Level Upper Level KEY

---------------------------------------------------------

bos.mp64 6.1.9.0 6.1.9.316 key_w_fs

bos.mp64 7.1.4.0 7.1.4.34 key_w_fs

bos.mp64 7.1.5.0 7.1.5.16 key_w_fs

bos.mp64 7.2.1.0 7.2.1.5 key_w_fs

bos.mp64 7.2.2.0 7.2.2.16 key_w_fs

To find out whether the affected filesets are installed on your systems, refer to the lslpp command found in AIX user’s guide.

Example: lslpp -L | grep -i bos.mp64

Remediation/Fixes

A. APARS

IBM has assigned the following APARs to this problem:

AIX Level APAR Availability SP KEY

------------------------------------------------

6.1.9 IJ07498 ** SP12 key_w_apar

7.1.4 IJ07499 ** SP7 key_w_apar

7.1.5 IJ07500 ** SP3 key_w_apar

7.2.1 IJ07501 ** SP5 key_w_apar

7.2.2 IJ07497 ** SP3 key_w_apar

VIOS Level APAR Availability SP KEY

------------------------------------------------

2.2.4 IJ07498 ** N/A key_w_apar

2.2.5 IJ07498 ** N/A key_w_apar

2.2.6 IJ07498 ** 2.2.6.23 key_w_apar

The relevant APARs will also be included in 7.1.5 and 7.2.2 SPs with a build id of 1832 or later.

Subscribe to the APARs here:

<http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07497&gt;

<http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07498&gt;

<http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07499&gt;

<http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07500&gt;

<http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07501&gt;

<https://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07497&gt;

<https://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07498&gt;

<https://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07499&gt;

<https://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07500&gt;

<https://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IJ07501&gt;

By subscribing, you will receive periodic email alerting you to the status of the APAR, and a link to download the fix once it becomes available.

B. FIXES

AIX and VIOS fixes are available.

An LPAR system reboot is required to complete the iFix installation, or Live Update may be used on AIX 7.2 to avoid a reboot.

The AIX/VIOS fixes can be downloaded via ftp or http from:

ftp://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_update_fix.tar

http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_update_fix.tar

https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_update_fix.tar

The link above is to a tar file containing this signed advisory, fix packages, and OpenSSL signatures for each package. The fixes below include prerequisite checking. This will enforce the correct mapping between the fixes and AIX Technology Levels.

The provided fixes are cumulative and include the previously issued Spectre and Meltdown (CVE-2017-5715, CVE-2017-5753, and CVE-2017-5754) security fixes:

<http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_meltdown_advisory.asc&gt;

and Variant 4 (CVE-2018-3639) security fixes:

<http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/variant4_advisory.asc&gt;

AIX Level Interim Fix (*.Z) KEY

----------------------------------------------

6.1.9.9 IJ07498m9a.180726.epkg.Z key_w_fix

6.1.9.10 IJ07498mAa.180717.epkg.Z key_w_fix

6.1.9.11 IJ07498mBa.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.1.4.4 IJ07499m4a.180719.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.1.4.5 IJ07499m5a.180809.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.1.4.6 IJ07499m6a.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.1.5.1 IJ07500m1a.180718.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.1.5.2 IJ07500m2a.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.2.1.2 IJ07501m2a.180719.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.2.1.3 IJ07501m3a.180717.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.2.1.4 IJ07501m4a.180716.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.2.2.1 IJ07497m1a.180717.epkg.Z key_w_fix

7.2.2.2 IJ07497m2a.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

Please note that the above table refers to AIX TL/SP level as opposed to fileset level, i.e., 7.2.2.1 is AIX 7200-02-01.

The provided iFixes for 7.1.5.2 and 7.2.2.2 are not required on SPs with a build id of 1831 or later. Please run “oslevel -s” to view installed build id.

Please reference the Affected Products and Version section above for help with checking installed fileset levels.

VIOS Level Interim Fix (*.Z) KEY

-----------------------------------------------

2.2.4.40 IJ07498m9a.180726.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.4.50 IJ07498m9b.180726.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.4.60 IJ07498mBa.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.5.20 IJ07498m9a.180726.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.5.30 IJ07498m9b.180726.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.5.40 IJ07498mBa.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.6.0 IJ07498mAa.180717.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.6.10 IJ07498mAa.180717.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.6.20 IJ07498mBa.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

2.2.6.21 IJ07498mBa.180713.epkg.Z key_w_fix

To extract the fixes from the tar file:

tar xvf spectre_update_fix.tar

cd spectre_update_fix

Verify you have retrieved the fixes intact:

The checksums below were generated using the “openssl dgst -sha256 file” command as the following:

openssl dgst -sha256 filename KEY

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

8130c2fe38bc00ec0ffc40fb0ba807c576774255640ac91c3cf544a5186969e5 IJ07497m1a.180717.epkg.Z key_w_csum

489aa881e49d63814160bf9b685a8a55c667bb4f1ec8afb4134393a5a3d06093 IJ07497m2a.180713.epkg.Z key_w_csum

a97311134ec01ca205e0121576b05143b15718f2c3196dad08185b0ff56ff8dc IJ07498m9a.180726.epkg.Z key_w_csum

c34866b7148bfd7eacf203d3fd038f6edc138330b9329222ca1f884d22e74fa0 IJ07498m9b.180726.epkg.Z key_w_csum

a3033670dcd28502594243789d646edc036c89c549b80e9b41468ec688222195 IJ07498mAa.180717.epkg.Z key_w_csum

4dc17657d5d7ccf59876cd9e60a041ab45495e683e46bca0e6a978143d9f9b04 IJ07498mBa.180713.epkg.Z key_w_csum

8e5df1d36261b795985d6da09549cc4b2b7f09a57352a8aa2990a2e65b6ef0cf IJ07499m4a.180719.epkg.Z key_w_csum

6d7e31ce2db7c26b0095258fb0e7067cdb5eea6815f2ed89e7df5db2f888fd15 IJ07499m5a.180809.epkg.Z key_w_csum

19e901819690cc66094a50a69b89874db2f7dd622f2b20342434a73c06b0d813 IJ07499m6a.180713.epkg.Z key_w_csum

c0a9110911d9f030e9a8da174d19bd25e25dfc748689908d460d7b6da3c0f96b IJ07500m1a.180718.epkg.Z key_w_csum

79328878b1463a849ba402ec94c5dabe84d23b1d68e1bb2003bfad2cf91c7bca IJ07500m2a.180713.epkg.Z key_w_csum

dd2c1125dcd39242eae5e8c599099be65530b477964157f677f824e5bb748ee0 IJ07501m2a.180719.epkg.Z key_w_csum

0f85af1fb54a8f3b948283a994a024471c6613a4f5375d2c9105704adf448b4e IJ07501m3a.180717.epkg.Z key_w_csum

dd9c82da0afe7cc6cd2dedf241dde09c94d92307aff8372fd4bd352e1b353221 IJ07501m4a.180716.epkg.Z key_w_csum

These sums should match exactly. The OpenSSL signatures in the tar file and on this advisory can also be used to verify the integrity of the fixes. If the sums or signatures cannot be confirmed, contact IBM Support at <http://ibm.com/support/&gt; and describe the discrepancy.

openssl dgst -sha1 -verify [pubkey_file] -signature [advisory_file].sig [advisory_file]

openssl dgst -sha1 -verify [pubkey_file] -signature [ifix_file].sig [ifix_file]

Published advisory OpenSSL signature file location:

http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_update_advisory.asc.sig

https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_update_advisory.asc.sig

ftp://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/spectre_update_advisory.asc.sig

C. FIX AND INTERIM FIX INSTALLATION

An LPAR system reboot is required to complete the iFix installation, or Live Update may be used on AIX 7.2 to avoid a reboot.

If possible, it is recommended that a mksysb backup of the system be created. Verify it is both bootable and readable before proceeding.

To preview a fix installation:

installp -a -d fix_name -p all # where fix_name is the name of the

fix package being previewed.

To install a fix package:

installp -a -d fix_name -X all # where fix_name is the name of the

fix package being installed.

Interim fixes have had limited functional and regression testing but not the full regression testing that takes place for Service Packs; however, IBM does fully support them.

Interim fix management documentation can be found at:

<http://www14.software.ibm.com/webapp/set2/sas/f/aix.efixmgmt/home.html&gt;

To preview an interim fix installation:

emgr -e ipkg_name -p # where ipkg_name is the name of the

interim fix package being previewed.

To install an interim fix package:

emgr -e ipkg_name -X # where ipkg_name is the name of the

interim fix package being installed.

Workarounds and Mitigations

None.