CVE-2023-40694
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 · uneditedIBM Watson CP4D Data Stores 4.0.0 through 4.8.4 stores potentially sensitive information in log files that could be read by a local user. IBM X-Force ID: 264838.
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 · moderate confidenceIBM Watson CP4D Data Stores versions 4.0.0 through 4.8.4 contains a local information disclosure vulnerability where potentially sensitive data is written to log files with inadequate access controls, allowing local users to read this sensitive information.
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>= 4.0.0, < 4.8.5CVSS 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
- Local
- Complexity
- Low
- Privileges
- Low
- User interaction
- None
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- None
- Availability
- None
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:N/A:N
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 checksWork through these to decide whether this CVE applies to you.
-
Identify installed IBM Watson CP4D Data Stores versionLocate the version information for your IBM Watson CP4D Data Stores installation using IBM documentation or administration console. Common methods include checking the IBM Cloud Pak for Data (CP4D) dashboard, using 'cpd-cli' management commands, or reviewing deployment manifests.Affected if The installed version is 4.0.0 through 4.8.4 (any version >= 4.0.0 and < 4.8.5)
-
Locate log directories for Data Stores componentIdentify directories containing log files for the Data Stores component. Check standard log locations such as /var/log, /opt/ibm, or namespace-specific paths within your CP4D deployment. Consult IBM documentation for default Data Stores log paths.Affected if Log directories exist and contain log files for the Data Stores component
-
Verify file permissions on log directories and filesCheck the access permissions (owner, group, and world-read flags) on identified log directories and files using 'ls -la' or equivalent file system inspection tools. Confirm whether permissions allow read access for non-privileged local users.Affected if Log files or directories grant read access to users other than the application owner or administrators (e.g., world-readable or group-readable permissions)
-
Search log files for sensitive data patternsExamine log files for patterns indicating sensitive information such as credentials, tokens, personal data, or database connection details. Use grep or similar tools to search for keywords like 'password', 'token', 'secret', 'key', or connection strings.Affected if Log files contain sensitive data such as credentials, authentication tokens, or personally identifiable information
-
Confirm vulnerability applicabilityIf version is in affected range AND log files have weak permissions, review log content to confirm whether sensitive data is exposed. Cross-reference findings with the specific vulnerability description.Affected if Version is 4.0.0-4.8.4 AND log files have overly permissive access AND sensitive data is present in logs
You are affected if your IBM Watson CP4D Data Stores version is between 4.0.0 and 4.8.4 and log files are readable by non-privileged local users and contain sensitive information.
Generated from the published advisory. Verify against your own configuration.
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 · scoped4.8.5
Restrict file permissions on log directories and files to limit access to authorized administrators only; implement data masking or redaction for sensitive fields before logging; consider upgrading to a patched version if available from IBM.
4.8.5 or later
- 1. Back up all current data and configuration files for Watson Cp4d Data Stores
- 2. Review IBM Cloud Pak for Data upgrade documentation for your specific deployment model
- 3. Download IBM Watson Cp4d Data Stores version 4.8.5 or later from IBM Fix Central or your entitled container registry
- 4. Stop all running Watson Cp4d Data Stores services gracefully
- 5. Apply the upgrade following IBM's standard upgrade procedure for your deployment (either operator-based or manual)
- 6. Verify the upgrade completed successfully by checking the Data Stores components are running
- 7. Confirm log configuration has been updated and no pre-upgrade sensitive data remains in old log files
Generated from the published advisory — verify against the referenced sources before acting.
- Consultation6.0 h
- Implementation12.0 h
- Testing6.0 h
- Review / QA4.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $7,968.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2023-40694 — or any other known-vulnerable package — straight from your lock files. Free and open source; it runs locally and uploads nothing.
References Go to the primary sourcePrimary sources — vendor advisories, patches and trackers. Where our summary and a reference disagree, the reference wins.
Primary sourcesPractitioner notes
ContributedPeer-ranked notes from engineers who’ve handled CVE-2023-40694 in production — separate from our analysis above.
The advisory tells you what broke. It rarely tells you what actually worked. If you’ve dealt with this one, that detail is what the next engineer is searching for.
- The version that genuinely resolved it — not the one the vendor claimed
- A config change or rule that shut the vector down
- A gotcha in the upgrade path that cost you an afternoon
No notes yet
Be the first to add a field note for this CVE — a mitigation you’ve verified, a version caveat, or a link to a working fix. Sign in above to contribute.
A place for practitioners to share what actually worked: a mitigation you’ve tested, a configuration change, a version- or environment-specific caveat, or a link to a verified patch. The most useful notes rise to the top as peers upvote them, so the signal stays high.
- Verified mitigations, workarounds, and config changes
- Version or environment caveats, and links to real fixes
- No weaponised exploit code, or anything meant to cause harm
- No spam, self-promotion, credentials, or personal data