CVE-2024-56346
Published: 18 March 2025
Summary
CVE-2024-56346 is a critical-severity Process Control (CWE-114) vulnerability in Ibm Aix. Its CVSS base score is 10.0 (Critical).
Operationally, exploitation aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique Exploit Public-Facing Application (T1190); ranked in the top 43.9% of CVEs by exploit likelihood; it is not currently listed in the CISA KEV catalog.
The strongest mitigations our analysis identified are NIST 800-53 SC-39 (Process Isolation) and SI-2 (Flaw Remediation).
Threat & Defense at a Glance
Threat & Defense Details
Mitigating Controls (NIST 800-53 r5)AI
Directly enforces process isolation for the nimesis NIM master service to mitigate improper process controls that enable remote arbitrary command execution.
Requires timely identification, reporting, and remediation of the specific flaw in IBM AIX NIM master service, eliminating the vulnerability.
Limits the impact of arbitrary command execution by enforcing least privilege on NIM master service processes, reducing potential system compromise.
MITRE ATT&CK Enterprise TechniquesAI
Why these techniques?
Vulnerability enables remote unauthenticated arbitrary command execution on a network-accessible service (NIM master), directly supporting exploitation of public-facing applications (T1190) and execution via Unix shell (T1059.004).
NVD Description
IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3 nimesis NIM master service could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands due to improper process controls.
Deeper analysisAI
CVE-2024-56346 is a critical vulnerability affecting the nimesis NIM master service in IBM AIX 7.2 and 7.3. It arises from improper process controls (CWE-114), which could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary commands. Published on 2025-03-18, the flaw has a CVSS v3.1 base score of 10.0 (AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:C/C:H/I:H/A:H), indicating maximum severity due to its network accessibility and potential for complete system compromise.
An unauthenticated attacker can exploit this vulnerability remotely over the network with low attack complexity and no user interaction required. Exploitation grants high impacts across confidentiality, integrity, and availability, enabling arbitrary command execution on the affected NIM master service and potentially leading to full control over the AIX system.
IBM has published an advisory with details on the vulnerability at https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/node/7186621.
Details
- CWE(s)