CVE-2024-52906
📋 TL;DR
A local privilege escalation vulnerability in IBM AIX and VIOS TCP/IP kernel extension allows non-privileged local users to cause a denial of service. This affects IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, VIOS 3.1, and 4.1 systems. Attackers must have local access to exploit this vulnerability.
💻 Affected Systems
- IBM AIX
- IBM VIOS
📦 What is this software?
Aix by Ibm
Aix by Ibm
⚠️ Risk & Real-World Impact
Worst Case
Complete system crash or kernel panic leading to sustained denial of service, requiring physical or remote console access to reboot the system.
Likely Case
Temporary service disruption affecting network connectivity and dependent applications until system recovery.
If Mitigated
Limited impact with proper access controls restricting local user accounts and monitoring for suspicious activity.
🎯 Exploit Status
Exploitation requires local user access and knowledge of the vulnerability. No public exploit code has been disclosed.
🛠️ Fix & Mitigation
✅ Official Fix
Patch Version: AIX 7.2 TL5 SP5, 7.3 TL4 SP3; VIOS 3.1.5.30, 4.1.0.10
Vendor Advisory: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7179826
Restart Required: Yes
Instructions:
1. Download appropriate fix from IBM Fix Central. 2. Install interim fix using 'installp' or 'emgr'. 3. Reboot system to load patched kernel extension.
🔧 Temporary Workarounds
Restrict Local User Access
allLimit local user accounts and implement strict access controls to reduce attack surface.
chuser login=false <username>
chuser rlogin=false <username>
🧯 If You Can't Patch
- Implement strict access controls to limit local user accounts
- Monitor system logs for unusual local user activity and denial of service attempts
🔍 How to Verify
Check if Vulnerable:
Check OS version with 'oslevel -s' and compare against affected versions. Check if TCP/IP kernel extension is loaded.Check Version:
oslevel -sVerify Fix Applied:
Verify interim fix installation with 'lslpp -l | grep -i tcpip' and check version matches patched version. Confirm system reboot completed.📡 Detection & Monitoring
Log Indicators:
- Kernel panic messages in error log
- TCP/IP subsystem crashes
- Excessive local user privilege escalation attempts
Network Indicators:
- Sudden loss of network connectivity from affected host
- TCP connection resets
SIEM Query:
source="aix_error_log" AND "kernel panic" OR "tcpip" AND "crash"