IBM AIX 5.2/5.3/6.1 bos.rte.console access control

CVSS Meta Temp Score
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CTI Interest Score
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7.9$0-$5k0.00

Summaryinfo

A vulnerability categorized as problematic has been discovered in IBM AIX 5.2/5.3/6.1. The impacted element is an unknown function of the file bos.rte.console. Executing a manipulation can lead to access control. This vulnerability is handled as CVE-2008-4018. There is not any exploit available.

Detailsinfo

A vulnerability has been found in IBM AIX 5.2/5.3/6.1 (Operating System) and classified as critical. This vulnerability affects an unknown functionality of the file bos.rte.console. The manipulation with an unknown input leads to a access control vulnerability. The CWE definition for the vulnerability is CWE-264. As an impact it is known to affect confidentiality, integrity, and availability. CVE summarizes:

swcons in bos.rte.console in IBM AIX 5.2.0 through 6.1.1 allows local users in the system group to create or overwrite an arbitrary file, and establish weak permissions and root ownership for this file, via unspecified vectors. NOTE: this can be leveraged to gain privileges. NOTE: this issue exists because of an incomplete fix for CVE-2007-5805.

The bug was discovered 09/03/2008. The weakness was released 09/10/2008 by iDefense Labs with iDEFENSE Labs (Website). The advisory is shared for download at ibm.com. This vulnerability was named CVE-2008-4018 since 09/10/2008. The exploitation appears to be easy. The attack needs to be approached locally. No form of authentication is required for a successful exploitation. There are known technical details, but no exploit is available. The MITRE ATT&CK project declares the attack technique as T1068.

It is declared as proof-of-concept. The vulnerability was handled as a non-public zero-day exploit for at least 2164 days. During that time the estimated underground price was around $5k-$25k. The vulnerability scanner Nessus provides a plugin with the ID 63760 (AIX 5.3 TL 7 : swcons (IZ18338)), which helps to determine the existence of the flaw in a target environment. It is assigned to the family AIX Local Security Checks and running in the context l. The commercial vulnerability scanner Qualys is able to test this issue with plugin 116260 (IBM AIX swcons File Ownership/Permission Vulnerability).

A possible mitigation has been published even before and not after the disclosure of the vulnerability.

The vulnerability is also documented in the databases at X-Force (44903), Tenable (63760), SecurityFocus (BID 30999†), OSVDB (47911†) and Secunia (SA31739†). Once again VulDB remains the best source for vulnerability data.

Productinfo

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CPE 2.3info

CPE 2.2info

CVSSv4info

VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv3info

VulDB Meta Base Score: 8.4
VulDB Meta Temp Score: 7.9

VulDB Base Score: 8.4
VulDB Temp Score: 7.9
VulDB Vector: 🔍
VulDB Reliability: 🔍

CVSSv2info

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VulDB Base Score: 🔍
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Exploitinginfo

Class: Access control
CWE: CWE-264
CAPEC: 🔍
ATT&CK: 🔍

Physical: Partially
Local: Yes
Remote: No

Availability: 🔍
Status: Proof-of-Concept

EPSS Score: 🔍
EPSS Percentile: 🔍

Price Prediction: 🔍
Current Price Estimation: 🔍

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Nessus ID: 63760
Nessus Name: AIX 5.3 TL 7 : swcons (IZ18338)
Nessus File: 🔍
Nessus Risk: 🔍
Nessus Family: 🔍
Nessus Context: 🔍
Nessus Port: 🔍

Qualys ID: 🔍
Qualys Name: 🔍

Threat Intelligenceinfo

Interest: 🔍
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Countermeasuresinfo

Recommended: no mitigation known
Status: 🔍

0-Day Time: 🔍

Timelineinfo

10/01/2002 🔍
09/03/2008 +2164 days 🔍
09/03/2008 +0 days 🔍
09/03/2008 +0 days 🔍
09/03/2008 +0 days 🔍
09/04/2008 +1 days 🔍
09/04/2008 +0 days 🔍
09/04/2008 +0 days 🔍
09/10/2008 +6 days 🔍
09/10/2008 +0 days 🔍
09/10/2008 +0 days 🔍
01/24/2013 +1597 days 🔍
03/17/2015 +782 days 🔍
05/26/2025 +3723 days 🔍

Sourcesinfo

Vendor: ibm.com

Advisory: ibm.com
Researcher: iDefense Labs
Organization: iDEFENSE Labs
Status: Confirmed
Confirmation: 🔍

CVE: CVE-2008-4018 (🔍)
GCVE (CVE): GCVE-0-2008-4018
GCVE (VulDB): GCVE-100-43996

OVAL: 🔍

X-Force: 44903
SecurityFocus: 30999 - IBM AIX 'swcons' Insecure File Creation Vulnerability
Secunia: 31739 - IBM AIX "swcons" Command Privilege Escalation Vulnerability, Not Critical
OSVDB: 47911 - IBM - AIX - 'swcons' Insecure File Creation Issue
SecurityTracker: 1020818
Vulnerability Center: 19363 - IBM AIX swcons Command Vulnerability Allows Local Users to Create Arbitrary Files, High
Vupen: ADV-2008-2490

Entryinfo

Created: 03/17/2015 16:11
Updated: 05/26/2025 04:03
Changes: 03/17/2015 16:11 (82), 08/16/2019 11:31 (4), 05/26/2025 04:03 (18)
Complete: 🔍
Cache ID: 216::103

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