CVE-2002-1686 in AIX
Summary
by MITRE
Buffer overflow in lscfg of unknown versions of AIX has unknown impact.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/02/2019
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2002-1686 represents a critical buffer overflow condition within the lscfg utility of IBM AIX operating systems. This flaw exists in unspecified versions of the AIX platform and affects the lscfg command which is responsible for listing configuration information about hardware components. The lscfg utility serves as a fundamental system administration tool that gathers and displays detailed hardware configuration data, making it a critical component for system maintenance and troubleshooting operations. The buffer overflow vulnerability occurs when the utility processes input data without proper bounds checking, potentially allowing malicious actors to overwrite adjacent memory locations and compromise system integrity.
The technical nature of this vulnerability places it within the realm of CWE-121, which encompasses buffer overflow conditions where insufficient boundary checking allows attackers to write beyond the allocated memory space. This particular flaw demonstrates how seemingly benign system administration utilities can contain critical security weaknesses that may be exploited to gain unauthorized access to system resources. The vulnerability's impact remains unspecified, but buffer overflows of this nature typically provide attackers with opportunities to execute arbitrary code, escalate privileges, or cause system instability. The lscfg command's role in accessing hardware configuration data makes it particularly attractive to attackers seeking to gather intelligence about system components or to establish persistent access through privilege escalation techniques.
From an operational standpoint, this vulnerability presents significant risks to AIX systems that have not been patched or updated to address the buffer overflow condition. The lscfg utility is frequently used by system administrators during routine maintenance and troubleshooting activities, making the attack surface potentially large and difficult to control. Attackers could exploit this vulnerability by crafting malicious input to the lscfg command, potentially leading to complete system compromise. The attack vector may involve local privilege escalation or remote exploitation depending on how the utility is invoked and whether it runs with elevated privileges. Organizations running affected AIX versions face potential exposure to privilege escalation attacks that could allow unauthorized users to gain administrative access to critical system resources.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2002-1686 primarily involves applying the appropriate security patches and updates provided by IBM to address the buffer overflow condition in the lscfg utility. System administrators should immediately implement the vendor-provided fixes to prevent exploitation of this vulnerability. Additionally, implementing proper input validation controls and monitoring for anomalous usage patterns of the lscfg command can help detect potential exploitation attempts. Organizations should also consider restricting access to the lscfg utility to authorized administrators only and implementing network segmentation to limit potential attack vectors. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of maintaining up-to-date system configurations and the critical need for regular security assessments of system administration tools, as these utilities often serve as attack targets due to their privileged execution contexts and access to sensitive system information. This particular vulnerability aligns with ATT&CK technique T1059.001 for command and scripting interpreter usage, as exploitation would likely involve executing malicious commands through the vulnerable lscfg utility.