Security Bulletin: IBM® Db2® on AIX and Linux Affected by a Vulnerability in IBM® Spectrum Scale (CVE-2020-4411)

Summary

The Spectrum Scale 4.2.0.0 through 4.2.3.21 and 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.4.3 file system component is affected by a denial of service vulnerability in its kernel module that could allow an attacker to cause a denial of service condition on the affected system. To exploit this vulnerability, a local attacker could invoke a subset of ioctls on the Spectrum Scale device with non-valid arguments. This could allow the attacker to crash the kernel. IBM Spectrum Scale is previously known as General Parallel File System (GPFS).

Vulnerability Details

CVEID:CVE-2020-4411
**DESCRIPTION:**The Spectrum Scale 4.2.0.0 through 4.2.3.21 and 5.0.0.0 through 5.0.4.3 file system component is affected by a denial of service vulnerability in its kernel module that could allow an attacker to cause a denial of service condition on the affected system. To exploit this vulnerability, a local attacker could invoke a subset of ioctls on the Spectrum Scale device with non-valid arguments. This could allow the attacker to crash the kernel. IBM X-Force ID: 179986.
CVSS Base score: 7.1
CVSS Temporal Score: See: https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/179986 for the current score.
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.0/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:N/I:N/A:H)

Affected Products and Versions

All fix pack levels of IBM Db2 V11.1, and V11.5 editions running on AIX and Linux are affected, and only for those customers who have Db2® pureScale™ Feature installed. IBM Db2 V10.5 is not affected.

Remediation/Fixes

The recommended solution is to apply the appropriate fix for this vulnerability.

FIX:

Customers running any vulnerable fixpack level of an affected Program, V11.1 and 11.5, can contact IBM technical support to obtain the GPFS eFix. Before installing the GPFS eFix, the Db2 level might need to be upgraded to the level that includes the supported GPFS level. Do not attempt to upgrade GPFS by any other means. The table below lists the Db2 releases, the prerequisite that needs to be installed first and the GPFS efix to request from IBM technical support.

11.1.4.5

|

4.2.3.17 efix 5 for all platforms

11.5.4

|

5.0.4.3 efix 8 for Linux 64-bit, x86-64; Linux 64-bit, POWER™ little endian

5.0.4.3 efix 9 for Linux 64-bit, System z®, System z9® or zSeries®

5.0.4.3 efix 12 for AIX 64-bit

The GPFS efix install instructions are available here:<http://www-01.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=swg27048484&gt;

Workarounds and Mitigations

None