CVE-2026-105465 in Db2
Summary
by MITRE • 10/12/2026
IBM Db2 11.5.0 through 11.5.9, and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5 is vulnerable to privilege escalation when db2locssh is enabled with the db2 instance.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 10/12/2026
The vulnerability identified in IBM Db2 versions 11.5.0 through 11.5.9 and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5 represents a critical security flaw centered on the improper configuration or implementation of the db2locssh utility when enabled within a database instance context. This component is designed to facilitate secure local shell access for administrative tasks, but its current state allows an attacker with limited initial privileges to escalate their rights to those of the database owner or system administrator. The core technical flaw lies in how the authentication and authorization mechanisms handle session creation and privilege assignment during local SSH operations. When db2locssh is active, it may fail to strictly enforce least-privilege principles, potentially allowing a user with basic access credentials to execute commands that bypass standard permission checks. This misconfiguration or logic error effectively creates an unauthorized pathway for gaining elevated control over the underlying operating system and database environment.
From an operational perspective, this privilege escalation vulnerability poses severe risks to data integrity and confidentiality. An attacker who exploits this flaw can gain unrestricted read, write, and execute access to sensitive database files, configuration settings, and potentially other applications running on the same host. This level of access enables the extraction of confidential information, modification or deletion of critical records, and the installation of persistent backdoors for future exploitation. The impact extends beyond the immediate compromise of the Db2 instance, as it can serve as a pivot point for lateral movement within an enterprise network if other systems are accessible from the compromised host. Such scenarios align with common attack patterns where initial low-level access is leveraged to achieve high-impact outcomes through privilege escalation techniques.
This vulnerability maps directly to CWE-269, which describes Improper Privilege Management, specifically regarding the failure to enforce appropriate authorization levels for critical functions. Furthermore, it relates to ATT&CK technique T1078, Valid Accounts, as exploitation often involves using legitimate but insufficiently restricted credentials to perform unauthorized administrative actions. The specific mechanism of leveraging a local service like db2locssh also touches upon aspects of process injection or command execution via trusted utilities, which can be categorized under various lateral movement and privilege escalation vectors depending on the exact exploit chain utilized by an adversary. Understanding these mappings is essential for accurate threat modeling and defense strategy development.
To mitigate this risk, organizations must immediately audit their Db2 installations to determine if db2locssh is enabled with any active database instances. If the feature is not strictly required for operational workflows, it should be disabled entirely through standard configuration parameters provided by IBM. For environments where local shell access via SSH remains a necessity, administrators must enforce strict role-based access control (RBAC) policies. This includes ensuring that only designated security officers or senior system administrators have permission to invoke db2locssh and that these accounts are protected with multi-factor authentication and rigorous monitoring for anomalous activity. Regular vulnerability scanning and penetration testing focused on privilege escalation paths should be conducted to identify any residual misconfigurations before they can be exploited by malicious actors.