CVE-2021-38923

IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW1010 could allow a privileged user to gain access to another VM due to assigning duplicate WWPNs

High · published October 6, 2021

CVSS v3.0
8.0
EPSS
1%
Percentile
64.1
In the wild
Unconfirmed
What it is

⚡ A high-severity issue lurks in IBM PowerVM Hypervisor! Privileged users could unintentionally access other VMs thanks to duplicate WWPNs — a recipe for chaos! 😱 Think of this as a hotel where two guests are accidentally given the same room key — one can waltz right into the other’s space without any notice! 🏨 This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or even disruption of services, as a privileged user inadvertently hops into another VM's environment. Imagine someone crashing your private party and causing havoc - that's the risk here!

Put simply

Think of this as a hotel where two guests are accidentally given the same room key — one can waltz right into the other’s space without any notice! 🏨 The vulnerability arises from the hypervisor allowing duplicate Fibre Channel World Wide Port Names (WWPNs), enabling one VM to access resources and data belonging to another VM without proper authorization.

What to do

This could lead to unauthorized access to sensitive data or even disruption of services, as a privileged user inadvertently hops into another VM's environment. Imagine someone crashing your private party and causing havoc - that's the risk here! To mitigate this risk, ensure that each VM has a unique WWPN assigned. Review your configurations immediately and apply any updates from IBM to ensure compliance with best practices. 🛡️ You've got this! By taking these steps, you're enhancing your security posture and keeping those VM spaces safe. 🚀

The record
Technical detail
CVSS v3.0
8.0 · HIGH
Vector
CVSS:3.0/S:C/UI:N/PR:H/AC:H/I:H/A:H/AV:N/C:H/RL:O/E:U/RC:C
CVSS v4.0
Not supplied
EPSS
0.01056 · 64.1th percentile
Published
2021-10-06T17:50Z
EPSS history
Timeline
  • 06 OCT 17:50Z
    IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW1010 could allow a privileged user to gain access to another VM due to assigning duplicate WWPNs
    cvelistv5