CVE-2009-3900 in PowerHA
Summary
by MITRE
Unspecified vulnerability in the Cluster Management component in IBM PowerHA 5.4, 5.4.1, 5.5, and 6.1 on AIX allows remote attackers to modify the operating-system configuration via packets to the godm port (6177/tcp).
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/27/2021
The vulnerability described in CVE-2009-3900 represents a critical security flaw within IBM PowerHA cluster management software versions 5.4, 5.4.1, 5.5, and 6.1 running on AIX operating systems. This issue resides in the Cluster Management component, which is responsible for maintaining high availability and failover capabilities within IBM PowerHA environments. The vulnerability manifests as an unspecified weakness that enables remote attackers to manipulate the underlying operating system configuration through crafted network packets transmitted to the godm port on tcp/6177. The godm port serves as a crucial communication endpoint for cluster management operations, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it provides attackers with direct access to system configuration mechanisms that should typically require local administrative privileges or secure network access.
The technical nature of this vulnerability stems from inadequate input validation and authentication mechanisms within the cluster management software's network communication stack. Attackers can exploit this weakness by sending specially crafted packets to the designated port without proper authorization, potentially allowing them to execute arbitrary configuration changes that could compromise the entire cluster infrastructure. This type of vulnerability falls under the category of remote code execution or privilege escalation attacks, as it enables attackers to modify system-level configurations that control cluster behavior and resource management. The vulnerability's classification aligns with CWE-20, which addresses "Improper Input Validation," and CWE-264, which covers "Permissions, Privileges, and Access Controls," as the flaw allows unauthorized modification of system parameters through network-based attacks. The attack vector specifically maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, "Exploitation for Privilege Escalation," and T1046, "Network Service Scanning," as it requires network reconnaissance to identify the vulnerable port and subsequent exploitation to gain unauthorized access to system configuration parameters.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends far beyond simple network access, as it fundamentally compromises the integrity and availability of high-availability cluster environments. Organizations relying on IBM PowerHA for mission-critical applications face significant risks including potential service disruption, data corruption, or complete system compromise if attackers successfully exploit this vulnerability. The affected systems typically operate in environments where cluster consistency and reliability are paramount, making this vulnerability particularly dangerous as it could lead to cascading failures across interconnected services. The remote nature of the attack means that adversaries do not need physical access to the systems or direct network connectivity to the cluster nodes, significantly expanding the attack surface and making detection more challenging. Organizations may experience unauthorized modifications to cluster configuration parameters, which could result in incorrect failover behavior, resource allocation issues, or complete service outages that could impact business continuity and regulatory compliance requirements.
Mitigation strategies for this vulnerability should encompass both immediate remediation and long-term security enhancements. The most critical immediate action involves applying the vendor-supplied patches or updates that address the specific flaw in the Cluster Management component. Organizations should also implement network segmentation and access controls to restrict access to the godm port tcp/6177, ensuring that only authorized management systems can communicate with cluster nodes. Network monitoring should be enhanced to detect unusual traffic patterns or unauthorized attempts to access the vulnerable port, with intrusion detection systems configured to alert on suspicious packet payloads targeting this specific service. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify all systems running affected versions of IBM PowerHA and ensure proper network access controls are in place. The implementation of principle of least privilege access controls, regular security audits of cluster configurations, and maintaining current security patches across all IBM PowerHA components should be standard practices to prevent similar vulnerabilities from compromising system integrity. Security teams should also consider implementing network access control lists and firewall rules that restrict access to the godm port from unauthorized networks while maintaining legitimate administrative access for authorized personnel.