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License Metric ToolApplication · Ibm

CVE-2023-43044

HIGH · 7.5 CVSS v3.1 Published 2023-09-28
Fix available
A fix is available. Upgrade to 9.2.33 or later.
See remediation →
84/100
Remediation priority · High
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
IBM License Metric Tool 9.2 could allow a remote attacker to traverse directories on the system. An attacker could send a specially crafted URL request containing "dot dot" sequences (/../) to view arbitrary files on the system. IBM X-Force ID: 266893.

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

IBM License Metric Tool 9.2 is vulnerable to path traversal attacks. A remote unauthenticated attacker can craft URLs containing 'dot dot' sequences (/../) to traverse directories and read arbitrary files on the system, potentially exposing sensitive configuration or system files.

MitigationApply the IBM patch for this vulnerability (contact IBM for LMT 9.2 patch), implement web application input validation to reject paths containing '..' sequences, and restrict network access to the License Metric Tool interface.

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
License Metric ToolApplication
Affected:< 9.2.33

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
Privileges
None
User interaction
None
Scope
Unchanged
Confidentiality
High
Integrity
None
Availability
None

CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/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 checks

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

  1. Identify if IBM License Metric Tool is installed
    Check for IBM License Metric Tool in installed programs (Windows) or package management system (Linux/Unix). Look for ILMT, IBM License Metric Tool, or related service names in running processes.
    Affected if IBM License Metric Tool is present on the system
  2. Determine the installed version of IBM License Metric Tool
    Check the version of IBM License Metric Tool installed. On Windows, look in Add/Remove Programs or the installation directory for version information. On Linux, check /opt/ibm/LMT or use rpm/yum/dpkg queries if installed via package manager.
    Affected if The installed version is lower than 9.2.33 (e.g., 9.2.0, 9.2.12, etc.)
  3. Verify the web interface is enabled and accessible
    Determine if the IBM License Metric Tool web interface (typically on port 8080, 443, or 9080) is running and exposed. Check if the HTTP/HTTPS service for LMT is active.
    Affected if The web interface is enabled and network-accessible (even internally)
  4. Confirm exposure to unauthenticated requests
    Test whether the LMT web interface accepts unauthenticated HTTP requests. The vulnerability allows unauthenticated path traversal, so if the interface is reachable without authentication, the system could be targeted.
    Affected if The web interface accepts requests without requiring authentication

You are affected if IBM License Metric Tool version 9.2.33 or higher is NOT installed AND the web interface is enabled and accessible, allowing an unauthenticated attacker to send crafted URLs with ../ sequences.

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
Upgrade available Upgrade to 9.2.33 or later
Fixed in 9.2.33
Interim mitigation

Apply the IBM patch for this vulnerability (contact IBM for LMT 9.2 patch), implement web application input validation to reject paths containing '..' sequences, and restrict network access to the License Metric Tool interface.

Recommended fix Moderate confidence

IBM License Metric Tool 9.2.33 or later

  1. 1. Back up the current IBM License Metric Tool installation and configuration data
  2. 2. Download IBM License Metric Tool version 9.2.33 or later from IBM Fix Central or your authorized IBM distribution channel
  3. 3. Stop the IBM License Metric Tool services
  4. 4. Install the upgraded version following IBM's standard installation procedures
  5. 5. Verify the installation by logging into the web interface
  6. 6. Test that the application functions normally with typical license metric operations
  7. 7. Confirm the path traversal vulnerability is remediated by attempting to access a URL with "dot dot" sequences (../) - this should now be blocked

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

Fix this in License Metric Tool Scoped from the published advisory
  • Consultation3.0 h
  • Implementation6.0 h
  • Testing3.0 h
  • Review / QA2.0 h
14.0 hours of engineering $2,490
Get the upgrade done

An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $3,984.

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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-2023-43044 in production — separate from our analysis above.

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What this is

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.

What belongs here
  • 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