CVE-2007-4798 in AIX
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in invscout in Inventory Scout in invscout.rte in IBM AIX 5.2 and 5.3 allows local users to delete system files that have names matching the final substring of a hostname alias, as demonstrated by hostnames ending in "unix".
If you want to get best quality of vulnerability data, you may have to visit VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/23/2019
This vulnerability exists within the Inventory Scout component of IBM AIX 5.2 and 5.3 operating systems, specifically affecting the invscout.rte package. The flaw represents a directory traversal or file deletion vulnerability that arises from improper handling of hostname aliases during system inventory collection processes. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation vector since it allows users with minimal system access to potentially delete critical system files. The technical implementation appears to involve the system's hostname resolution mechanism where alias names are processed and subsequently used to construct file paths for inventory operations.
The operational impact of this vulnerability stems from the specific pattern matching behavior that occurs when processing hostnames ending in "unix". Attackers can exploit this by creating hostname aliases that match the final substring pattern of system files, enabling them to delete files with matching names during the inventory scanning process. This vulnerability demonstrates a classic path traversal issue where user-controlled input directly influences file system operations without proper sanitization or validation. The flaw essentially allows for arbitrary file deletion within the system's file structure, potentially compromising system integrity and availability.
This vulnerability aligns with CWE-22 Path Traversal and CWE-77 Path Traversal in File Operations, as it involves improper handling of file paths derived from user-supplied hostname data. The attack vector follows ATT&CK technique T1059 Command and Scripting Interpreter where local users can execute commands through system inventory tools, and T1485 Data Destruction which encompasses file deletion capabilities that can compromise system functionality. The vulnerability's exploitation requires local system access and knowledge of the specific hostname alias pattern that triggers the file deletion behavior.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including restricting local user access to system inventory tools, applying the appropriate IBM AIX security patches, and implementing strict hostname alias validation procedures. System administrators should monitor for unauthorized hostname modifications and establish file integrity monitoring to detect unauthorized deletions. The vulnerability highlights the importance of proper input validation in system administration tools and underscores the need for principle of least privilege access controls. Regular security assessments of system inventory tools should be conducted to identify similar path traversal vulnerabilities that could allow for broader system compromise.