CVE-2018-1448 in DB2
Summary
by MITRE
IBM DB2 for Linux, UNIX and Windows 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, and 11.1 (includes DB2 Connect Server) contains a vulnerability that could allow a local user to overwrite arbitrary files owned by the DB2 instance owner. IBM X-Force ID: 140043.
VulDB is the best source for vulnerability data and more expert information about this specific topic.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 02/22/2023
This vulnerability resides within IBM DB2 database management systems across multiple versions including 9.7, 10.1, 10.5, and 11.1, affecting Linux, UNIX, and Windows platforms with DB2 Connect Server components. The flaw represents a critical local privilege escalation issue that enables authenticated users with minimal system access to manipulate file permissions and overwrite files owned by the DB2 instance owner. The vulnerability stems from improper access controls and file handling mechanisms within the database server's operational framework, creating a pathway for malicious actors to gain elevated privileges through file system manipulation.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of insufficient input validation and inadequate permission checking during file operations within the DB2 service environment. When legitimate database operations attempt to create or modify files, the system fails to properly validate the target file paths or verify that the requesting user has appropriate authorization levels. This weakness allows local users to craft specific file operations that bypass normal security boundaries, effectively enabling them to overwrite files with elevated privileges. The flaw operates at the system call level where file creation and modification functions do not adequately enforce access control lists or ownership verification mechanisms.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability creates severe security implications for database environments that rely on DB2 as their primary data management solution. An attacker who gains local access to a system running DB2 can leverage this weakness to overwrite critical system files, configuration data, or even executable components that run under the DB2 instance owner account. This capability significantly expands the attack surface and can lead to complete system compromise, data exfiltration, or service disruption. The vulnerability particularly affects environments where database administrators maintain elevated privileges and where local access controls are not strictly enforced. Organizations with multiple DB2 instances across different platforms face increased risk due to the widespread nature of this vulnerability across supported versions.
Mitigation strategies should focus on immediate patch application from IBM security advisories, which provide specific fixes for each affected version. System administrators should implement strict access controls limiting local user privileges and ensure that DB2 instance owners operate with minimal necessary permissions. Network segmentation and monitoring solutions should be deployed to detect unusual file system activities that may indicate exploitation attempts. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-276, which addresses incorrect permissions for critical resources, and maps to ATT&CK technique T1068, involving local privilege escalation through system binary manipulation. Organizations should also conduct comprehensive security audits to identify and remediate similar permission-related issues within their database environments, as this vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in database server architectures.