CVE-2016-0263 in Spectrum Scale
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Spectrum Scale 4.1 before 4.1.1.5 and 4.2 before 4.2.0.2 and General Parallel File System 3.5 before 3.5.0.30 allow local users to gain privileges or cause a denial of service via a crafted mmapplypolicy command.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 08/25/2022
The vulnerability identified as CVE-2016-0263 affects IBM Spectrum Scale storage systems and the General Parallel File System where improper input validation in the mmapplypolicy command creates a security risk. This flaw exists in versions prior to 4.1.1.5 for Spectrum Scale 4.1, 4.2.0.2 for Spectrum Scale 4.2, and 3.5.0.30 for the General Parallel File System. The issue stems from insufficient sanitization of command-line arguments passed to the mmapplypolicy utility, which is used for applying policy configurations within the parallel file system environment.
The technical exploitation of this vulnerability involves a local attacker who can craft malicious input parameters to the mmapplypolicy command that bypass normal validation checks. This flaw can result in privilege escalation, allowing unprivileged users to execute commands with elevated privileges, or cause a denial of service condition that disrupts normal file system operations. The vulnerability is classified as a local privilege escalation issue and maps to CWE-787 which describes out-of-bounds write vulnerabilities that can be exploited to gain elevated privileges. The attack surface is limited to local users who have access to the system, but the impact can be severe as it allows for unauthorized privilege elevation within a storage environment.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability represents a significant risk to enterprise storage infrastructure where IBM Spectrum Scale or General Parallel File System are deployed. The potential for privilege escalation means that an attacker with local access could gain administrative rights to the storage system, potentially compromising data integrity and availability. The denial of service component could disrupt critical file system operations, affecting multiple applications and services that depend on the storage infrastructure. Organizations using these file systems may experience service interruptions and unauthorized data access, particularly in environments where local user access is not strictly controlled.
The mitigation strategy for CVE-2016-0263 requires immediate application of the vendor-provided patches and updates for IBM Spectrum Scale and General Parallel File System. System administrators should upgrade to the affected versions 4.1.1.5, 4.2.0.2, and 3.5.0.30 respectively to address the input validation issues. Additional protective measures include implementing strict access controls to limit local user privileges, monitoring for suspicious command execution patterns, and conducting regular security assessments of storage infrastructure components. Organizations should also consider implementing the principle of least privilege for local accounts and ensuring that only authorized personnel have access to storage management utilities. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation in system utilities and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which covers local privilege escalation through improper input handling in system binaries. Regular patch management processes should be strengthened to prevent similar vulnerabilities from remaining unaddressed in storage infrastructure components.