CVE-2023-38272
Ibm Cloud Pak System 2.3.1.1 … 2.3.4.1
Raw vector
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:NCVSS and EPSS are reproduced from their sources (NVD, FIRST EPSS). Risk Priority is our own derived reading, not an NVD score.
Summary
CVE-2023-38272 is a medium-severity Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint (CWE-300) vulnerability in Ibm Cloud Pak System. Its CVSS base score is 5.9 (Medium).
Operationally, ranked at the 26th percentile by exploit likelihood (below the median); it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified map to IA-3 (Device Identification and Authentication) and SC-11 (Trusted Path) — see the control section below for these in your framework.
Deeper analysis AI-assisted summary
Synthesised by an AI model from the NVD description and linked references — a reading aid, not an authoritative source.
CVE-2023-38272 is a vulnerability in IBM Cloud Pak System versions 2.3.3.0, 2.3.3.3, 2.3.3.3 iFix1, 2.3.3.4, 2.3.3.5, 2.3.3.6, 2.3.3.6 iFix1, 2.3.3.6 iFix2, 2.3.3.7, 2.3.3.7 iFix1, 2.3.4.0, and 2.3.4.1 that could allow a user with access to the network to obtain sensitive information from CLI arguments. Published on 2025-03-27, it is rated 5.9 on the CVSS 3.1 scale (AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N) and maps to CWE-300 (Channel Accessible by Non-Endpoint).
An unauthenticated attacker with network access can exploit this vulnerability, though it requires high attack complexity and no user interaction. Successful exploitation enables the disclosure of sensitive information with high confidentiality impact, without affecting integrity or availability, and with unchanged scope.
IBM has published an advisory with mitigation details at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7229212.
OWASP Top 10 for Web (2025)
EU & UK References
- 🇪🇺 ENISA EUVD: EUVD-2023-42092
Vulnerability Data
IBM Cloud Pak System 2.3.3.0, 2.3.3.3, 2.3.3.3 iFix1, 2.3.3.4, 2.3.3.5, 2.3.3.6, 2.3.36 iFix1, 2.3.3.6 iFix2, 2.3.3.7, 2.3.3.7 iFix1, 2.3.4.0, and 2.3.4.1 could allow a user with access to the network to obtain sensitive information from CLI arguments.
- CWE(s)
Related Threats
CVEs Like This One
Affected Assets
Mitigating Controls
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5) AI
IA-3 mandates device identification and authentication prior to establishing communications, addressing the non-endpoint actor risk.
SC-23 enforces session authenticity protections that verify both endpoints and prevent channel manipulation by outsiders.
SC-11 provides an isolated trusted path that cryptographically or physically assures the identities of the two endpoints.
SC-8 directly requires cryptographic or equivalent mechanisms to protect the integrity (and confidentiality) of transmitted data, stopping non-endpoint interference.
AC-17 requires documented usage restrictions and secure configuration for remote access channels, reducing exposure to non-endpoint actors.
IA-2 requires unique identification and authentication of organizational users before any channel use, blocking unauthenticated endpoint access.
Mitigating Controls (ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Annex A) AI
Derived directly from the weakness types (CWEs) cited in the NVD entry via our AI-authored CWE→ISO cross-walk (authority under review) — links open the control.
A.5.14 mandates rules/procedures/agreements (incl. recipient auth, crypto per 8.24, stronger auth on public nets, anti-interception/unauth-access controls) that stop non-endpoint actors from accessing/influencing the channel for most transfer forms; remainder (e.g. some verbal transfer, misrouting not caught by auth) is nameable.
Network security controls directly address channel integrity and endpoint authentication.
Security of network services includes measures to verify endpoints and protect channel integrity.
Cryptography provides channel integrity and can support endpoint authentication.
Secure authentication mechanisms verify actor identity at both ends of the channel.
Hardening callouts derived
DISA STIG baselines are authored against specific weaknesses. Where this CVE cites a broad weakness class, the mapping is not asserted at that abstraction (owner ruling, 2026-09-25: grade only at Base and below), so no rule is shown here rather than a rule shown against the wrong grain.
- No fine-grained STIG row for CWE-300, a class-level weakness, and none of its children carries one either.