dbcve.org
AixOperating system · Ibm

CVE-2003-0784

HIGH · 10.0 CVSS v2.0 Published 2003-10-06
Mitigation only
No fix yet — a mitigation exists. There is no fixed release. A documented workaround reduces exposure in the meantime.
See remediation →
100/100
Remediation priority · Urgent
Remotely reachable No privileges Zero-click

Official description Straight from the sourceThe vendor's or NVD's own wording, published unedited. Authoritative, but often terse — it says what broke, rarely what to do.

NVD · unedited
Format string vulnerability in tsm for the bos.rte.security fileset on AIX 5.2 allows remote attackers to gain root privileges via login, and local users to gain privileges via login, su, or passwd, with a username that contains format string specifiers.

Technical summary Written by usOur analysis, written from the advisory, the CVSS vector and the affected-version data. It adds context the advisory leaves out, and never invents facts that are not in the source.

dbcve analysis · high confidence

A format string vulnerability exists in TSM (Tivoli Storage Manager) within the bos.rte.security fileset on AIX 5.2. Attackers can inject format string specifiers into usernames when authenticating via login, su, or passwd commands, allowing arbitrary code execution with root privileges. Remote unauthenticated attackers can exploit this for complete system compromise.

MitigationApply the appropriate AIX security patch or PTF (Program Temporary Fix) for the bos.rte.security fileset. If patches are unavailable for the legacy AIX 5.2 environment, consider upgrading to a supported AIX version or implementing compensating controls such as restricting remote access and monitoring authentication logs for anomalous username patterns.

Verify against the referenced sources before acting — the references below are authoritative for this CVE, this summary is not.

Affected products & versions What the vendor confirmedThe version ranges the vendor confirmed as vulnerable. If your version sits inside a range here, treat yourself as exposed until you have upgraded.

NVD · CPE data
AixOperating system
Affected:= 4.3.3= 5.1= 5.2

CVSS breakdown How the score is builtThe industry scoring standard. It rates how the flaw is reached, what it takes to exploit, and what an attacker gains — the score is derived from those, not the other way round.

From the vector
Attack vector
Network
Complexity
Low
Authentication
None
Confidentiality
Complete
Integrity
Complete
Availability
Complete

AV:N/AC:L/Au:N/C:C/I:C/A:C

Am I affected? How to checkSteps we derive from the advisory and the affected-version data, so you can decide whether this CVE reaches your setup. They are a guide, not a scan — your own configuration is the authority.

dbcve checks

Work through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.

  1. Verify AIX version
    Run 'oslevel -r' or 'bootinfo -r' to determine the installed AIX version number
    Affected if Version is 433 (AIX 4.3.3), 510 (AIX 5.1), or 520 (AIX 5.2)
  2. Check bos.rte.security fileset version
    Run 'lslpp -l bos.rte.security' to list the installed version of the security fileset
    Affected if Fileset version is unpatched and corresponds to affected AIX versions listed above
  3. Verify patch status for CVE-2003-0784
    Run 'instfix -iv | grep IY' (search for security fix) or contact IBM support to confirm if the fix for this CVE is applied
    Affected if No security patch or PTF for CVE-2003-0784 is installed on the bos.rte.security fileset
  4. Assess exposure to login/su/passwd
    Check network exposure of authentication services: review /etc/security/login.cfg for remote login settings, check if telnet/rsh are enabled, and verify su command accessibility
    Affected if Remote unauthenticated attackers can reach login, su, or passwd services over the network

System is affected if running unpatched AIX 4.3.3, 5.1, or 5.2 with an unpatched bos.rte.security fileset where login/su/passwd are network-accessible.

Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.

Check your environment

Paste your version and any relevant configuration and it will be compared against the affected criteria above. Do not include secrets or credentials.

AI-assisted, checked against the advisory. Informational, not a guarantee.

Remediation Closing itWhat it takes to close this. Where a vendor fix exists we point at it; where none exists we say so plainly, and can build one. Effort estimates are scoped from the advisory, not from your codebase.

dbcve · scoped
Mitigation available No clean upgrade yet — mitigate in the meantime
Mitigation

Apply the appropriate AIX security patch or PTF (Program Temporary Fix) for the bos.rte.security fileset. If patches are unavailable for the legacy AIX 5.2 environment, consider upgrading to a supported AIX version or implementing compensating controls such as restricting remote access and monitoring authentication logs for anomalous username patterns.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

Upgrade to a later supported AIX release (AIX 5.3 TL or AIX 6.1/7.1) which are still supported by IBM and contain security fixes; AIX 4.3.3, 5.1, and 5.2 are end-of-life.

  1. 1. Identify the exact PTF (Program Temporary Fix) number for this vulnerability by searching IBM's support website or contacting IBM Support.
  2. 2. For AIX 5.2: Apply the security patch for APAR (Authorized Program Analysis Report) IY45718 or subsequent security PTFs for the bos.rte.security fileset.
  3. 3. For AIX 5.1: Apply the corresponding security patch for the bos.rte.security fileset addressing this format string vulnerability.
  4. 4. For AIX 4.3.3: Apply the applicable security patch for the bos.rte.security fileset.
  5. 5. After patching, verify the fix by checking the bos.rte.security fileset version with: `lslpp -l bos.rte.security`
  6. 6. Restart any affected services (login, su, passwd) or reboot the system to ensure the patched code is active.
  7. 7. Test that login, su, and passwd functions work correctly after the patch is applied.
Caveat AIX 4.3.3 and 5.1 are end-of-life and may require significant application testing if upgrading to newer AIX versions; ensure application compatibility before migration.

Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.

Fix this in Aix Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation8.0 h
  • Implementation16.0 h
  • Testing12.0 h
  • Review / QA4.0 h
40.0 hours of engineering $7,000
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References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.

Primary sources

Practitioner notes

Contributed

Peer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2003-0784 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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What belongs here
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  • Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
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  • No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data