CVE-2008-0586 in AIX
Summary
by MITRE
Multiple buffer overflows in IBM AIX 5.2 and 5.3 allow local users to gain privileges via unspecified vectors related to the (1) lchangevg, (2) ldeletepv, (3) putlvodm, (4) lvaryoffvg, and (5) lvgenminor programs in bos.rte.lvm; and the (6) tellclvmd program in bos.clvm.enh.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/04/2019
The vulnerability described in CVE-2008-0586 represents a critical security flaw affecting IBM AIX 5.2 and 5.3 operating systems, specifically targeting logical volume management utilities within the base operating system. This issue manifests as multiple buffer overflows that occur in several key system programs responsible for managing logical volumes and volume groups. The affected programs include lchangevg, ldeletepv, putlvodm, lvaryoffvg, lvgenminor, and tellclvmd, all of which operate within the bos.rte.lvm and bos.clvm.enh packages that form essential components of AIX's logical volume management infrastructure. These buffer overflow conditions create opportunities for privilege escalation attacks that could be exploited by local users who have access to the system.
The technical nature of these buffer overflows stems from improper input validation and memory management within the targeted system utilities. When these programs process user-supplied data or command-line arguments, they fail to properly bounds-check input buffers, allowing attackers to write beyond allocated memory regions. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it affects core system utilities that handle volume management operations, which typically require elevated privileges to execute. The buffer overflow conditions occur in the context of programs that manage critical system resources, making them attractive targets for exploitation. These programs are designed to operate with high privileges due to their role in system-level storage management, creating a direct pathway for privilege escalation when exploited.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple local privilege escalation, as it can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of the entire system. Local users who successfully exploit these buffer overflows can potentially gain root-level access to the system, enabling them to modify critical system files, install malicious software, or exfiltrate sensitive data. The vulnerability affects the fundamental logical volume management capabilities of AIX, which could lead to system instability or complete compromise of storage management functions. Attackers could leverage these exploits to establish persistent access, manipulate volume group configurations, or disrupt system operations. The presence of multiple affected programs increases the attack surface and provides attackers with several potential exploitation vectors, making the overall risk assessment particularly severe.
The vulnerability aligns with CWE-121, which describes stack-based buffer overflow conditions, and represents a classic example of improper input validation in system-level utilities. From an attack perspective, this vulnerability maps to several ATT&CK techniques including privilege escalation through exploitation of system utilities and credential access through local privilege escalation. The affected programs operate in privileged contexts and handle sensitive system operations, making them ideal targets for attackers seeking to elevate their privileges. Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the appropriate IBM security patches, restricting access to these system utilities, and monitoring for suspicious activity in system logs. Additionally, system administrators should consider implementing least privilege principles to limit local user access to these critical utilities, as the vulnerability requires local system access to exploit but can result in full system compromise. The remediation approach should include comprehensive system updates, security configuration reviews, and ongoing monitoring to detect potential exploitation attempts.