CVE-2016-6038 in Tivoli Lightweight Infrastructure
Summary
by MITRE
Directory traversal vulnerability in Eclipse Help in IBM Tivoli Lightweight Infrastructure (aka LWI), as used in AIX 5.3, 6.1, and 7.1, allows remote authenticated users to read arbitrary files via a crafted URL.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 09/21/2022
The CVE-2016-6038 vulnerability represents a critical directory traversal flaw within the Eclipse Help system component of IBM Tivoli Lightweight Infrastructure software. This vulnerability specifically affects AIX operating system versions 5.3, 6.1, and 7.1, creating a significant security risk for organizations relying on these systems. The flaw stems from inadequate input validation mechanisms within the help system's URL parsing functionality, allowing malicious actors to manipulate file access requests through carefully crafted URLs. This issue falls under the CWE-22 category, which classifies directory traversal vulnerabilities as a fundamental weakness in input validation that enables attackers to access files outside the intended directory structure.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability exploits the way the Eclipse Help system processes user-supplied URLs without proper sanitization or path validation. When an authenticated user submits a maliciously constructed URL, the system fails to adequately verify the requested file paths, potentially allowing access to sensitive system files, configuration data, or other restricted resources. The vulnerability specifically targets the help subsystem's ability to resolve and serve content, making it particularly dangerous as it operates within a legitimate system component that typically requires user authentication. Attackers can leverage this weakness to bypass normal access controls and retrieve arbitrary files from the system, potentially including system credentials, application data, or other confidential information.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability creates substantial risk for organizations running affected AIX systems, as it requires only authenticated access to exploit. The impact extends beyond simple information disclosure, as attackers could potentially access sensitive configuration files, system logs, or other data that could aid in further compromise. The vulnerability's presence in IBM Tivoli Lightweight Infrastructure means that organizations using this management platform face additional exposure, particularly in environments where the help system is accessible to multiple users. This flaw aligns with ATT&CK technique T1083 (File and Directory Discovery) and T1005 (Data from Local System), as it enables adversaries to enumerate and extract sensitive information from compromised systems.
Organizations should implement immediate mitigations including applying the relevant IBM security patches and updates that address this directory traversal vulnerability. System administrators should also consider restricting access to the Eclipse Help system where possible, implementing additional network segmentation, and monitoring for suspicious URL access patterns. The vulnerability demonstrates the importance of proper input validation and the principle of least privilege in system design, as even authenticated users should not be able to access arbitrary system files through legitimate system components. Security teams should also conduct thorough audits of all system components to identify similar vulnerabilities and implement comprehensive monitoring solutions to detect potential exploitation attempts.