CVE-2018-1724 in Spectrum LSF
Summary
by MITRE
IBM Spectrum LSF 9.1.1 9.1.2, 9.1.3, and 10.1 could allow a local user to obtain highly sensitive information or escalate their privileges to root due to improper file permission settings. IBM X-Force ID: 147439.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 05/25/2023
IBM Spectrum LSF versions 9.1.1 through 9.1.3 and 10.1 contain a critical privilege escalation vulnerability stemming from improper file permission configurations that could enable local attackers to gain root access or extract sensitive system information. This vulnerability arises from the software's failure to properly enforce access controls on critical system files and directories, creating exploitable pathways for unauthorized privilege elevation. The flaw specifically manifests when the system fails to validate file permissions during critical operations, allowing local users to manipulate or access files that should remain restricted to privileged processes.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves the exploitation of weak file permission models within the LSF daemon processes and associated configuration files. Attackers can leverage these misconfigurations to read sensitive system files containing authentication credentials, system keys, or configuration data that would normally be protected from unauthorized access. The privilege escalation occurs through the manipulation of file access controls or by directly accessing privileged files that contain system-level information or executable code paths. This weakness directly maps to CWE-276, which addresses improper file permissions, and represents a classic example of inadequate access control implementation in enterprise workload management systems.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple information disclosure to include complete system compromise through root privilege escalation. Local attackers with minimal system access can exploit this flaw to gain full administrative control over the affected systems, potentially leading to data breaches, system corruption, or unauthorized network access. The vulnerability affects enterprise environments where IBM Spectrum LSF is deployed for job scheduling and resource management, creating widespread risk across organizations that rely on proper access controls for their computing infrastructure. This issue particularly impacts organizations using distributed computing environments where multiple users share system resources and where proper privilege separation is critical for maintaining security boundaries.
Organizations should immediately implement the vendor-provided security patches for IBM Spectrum LSF versions 9.1.1 through 10.1 to address the file permission vulnerabilities. System administrators must conduct thorough permission audits on all LSF-related files and directories to ensure that proper access controls are enforced, particularly for configuration files containing sensitive system information. The remediation process should include verifying that only authorized processes and users can access critical system files, implementing proper file ownership controls, and establishing monitoring procedures to detect unauthorized access attempts. Additionally, organizations should consider implementing additional security controls such as mandatory access controls, file integrity monitoring, and regular security assessments to prevent similar vulnerabilities from being introduced in other system components. This vulnerability demonstrates the critical importance of proper access control implementation in enterprise workload management systems and aligns with ATT&CK technique T1068 which addresses local privilege escalation through improper file permissions and access controls.