Security Bulletin: Vulnerability in Apache Struts affects SAN Volume Controller, Storwize family and FlashSystem V9000 products (CVE-2016-4461)

Summary

A vulnerability in the Apache Struts component affects the Service Assistant GUI of SAN Volume Controller, Storwize family and FlashSystem V9000 products. The Command Line Interface is unaffected.

Vulnerability Details

CVEID: CVE-2016-4461**
DESCRIPTION:** Apache Struts could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system, caused by a forced double OGNL evaluation of attribute values. By sending specially crafted data, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code on the system.
CVSS Base Score: 9.8
CVSS Temporal Score: See https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/133514 for the current score
CVSS Environmental Score*: Undefined
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)

Affected Products and Versions

IBM SAN Volume Controller
IBM Storwize V7000
IBM Storwize V5000
IBM Storwize V3700
IBM Storwize V3500
IBM FlashSystem V9000

All products are affected when running supported versions 7.4 to 7.7.

Remediation/Fixes

IBM recommends that you fix this vulnerability by upgrading affected versions of IBM SAN Volume Controller, IBM Storwize V7000, V5000, V3700 and V3500 to the following code levels or higher:

7.5.0.13
7.6.1.8
7.7.1.8
7.8.1.4
8.1.0.2

Latest SAN Volume Controller Code
Latest Storwize V7000 Code
Latest Storwize V5000 Code
Latest Storwize V3700 Code
Latest Storwize V3500 Code

For IBM FlashSystem V9000, upgrade to the following code levels or higher:

7.5.1.6
7.6.1.8
7.7.1.8
7.8.1.4
8.1.0.2

Latest FlashSystem V9000 Code

For unsupported versions of the above products, IBM recommends upgrading to a fixed, supported version of code.

Workarounds and Mitigations

Although IBM recommends that you install a level of code with a fix for this vulnerability, you can mitigate, although not eliminate, your risk until you have done so by ensuring that all users who have access to the system are authenticated by another security system such as a firewall.