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CVE-2025-36244

IBM AIX privilege escalation

High7.4EPSS 0.12%
Published
Updated
Reserved
Assigned by
ibm

Description

IBM AIX 7.2, 7.3, IBM VIOS 3.1, and 4.1, when configured to use Kerberos network authentication, could allow a local user to write to files on the system with root privileges due to improper initialization of critical variables.

Scores

CVSS scores of CVE-2025-36244, by who scored it
Scored byCVSSScoreVector
ibmCNA (assigner)3.1High7.4CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
NVDNVD · Analyzed3.1Medium5.5CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:H/A:N
EPSS (exploitation in 30 days)
0.12% · top 98% of all CVEs (5 Nov 2026)
CISA SSVC
Exploitation: none · Automatable: no · Technical impact: total
Loading the EPSS history…

The list uses the assigner's score when there is one, then CISA's, then NVD's: High 7.4.

Weakness

Affected products

  • IBM · AIX

    • affected 7.2
    • affected 7.3

  • IBM · VIOS

    • affected 3.1
    • affected 4.1

What to do

Solution: IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.   AIX and VIOS fixes are available. The AIX and VIOS fixes can be downloaded via https from: https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/kerberos_fix.tar     The link above is to a tar file containing this signed advisory, fix packages, and OpenSSL signatures for each package. The fixes below include prerequisite checking. This will enforce the correct mapping between the fixes and AIX Technology Levels.   You must be on the 'prereq for installation' level before applying the interim fix. This may require installing a new level(prereq version) first from: https://www.ibm.com/resources/mrs/assets?source=aixbp   AIX LevelInterim FixFileset Name (prereq for installation)7.2, 7.3IJ55344s9a.250722.epkg.Zkrb5.client.rte (1.16.1.7)   VIOS LevelInterim FixFileset Name (prereq for installation)3.1, 4.1IJ55344s9a.250722.epkg.Zkrb5.client.rte (1.16.1.7)   To extract the fixes from the tar file:   tar xvf kerberos_fix.tar cd kerberos_fix   Verify you have retrieved the fixes intact: The checksums below were generated using the "openssl dgst -sha256 [filename]" command as the following:   openssl dgst -sha256filename7e771a31c6f02b5635d99e3444c6085c1c67fd744ed00eade1d042134df6bb54IJ55344s9a.250722.epkg.Z   These sums should match exactly. The OpenSSL signatures in the tar file and on this advisory can also be used to verify the integrity of the fixes. If the sums or signatures cannot be confirmed, contact IBM Support at http://ibm.com/support/  and describe the discrepancy.           openssl dgst -sha256 -verify [pubkey_file] -signature [advisory_file].sig [advisory_file] openssl dgst -sha256 -verify [pubkey_file] -signature [ifix_file].sig [ifix_file]   Published advisory OpenSSL signature file location: https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/kerberos_advisory.asc.sig

Workaround: If possible, it is recommended that a mksysb backup of the system be created. Verify it is both bootable and readable before proceeding.   To preview a fix installation: installp -a -d fix_name -p all # where fix_name is the name of the                                             # fix package being previewed.   To install a fix package: installp -a -d fix_name -X all # where fix_name is the name of the                                             # fix package being installed.   Interim fixes have had limited functional and regression testing but not the full regression testing that takes place for Service Packs; however, IBM does fully support them.   Interim fix management documentation can be found at: https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/managing-interim-fixes-aix   To preview an interim fix installation: emgr -e ipkg_name -p         # where ipkg_name is the name of the                                         # interim fix package being previewed.   To install an interim fix package: emgr -e ipkg_name -X         # where ipkg_name is the name of the                                         # interim fix package being installed.

References (1)

Sources

The same CVE in the primary databases and aggregators, to check against.

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Record last updated .