CVE-2024-38330
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 System Management for i 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 could allow a local user to gain elevated privileges due to an unqualified library program call. A malicious actor could cause user-controlled code to run with administrator privilege. IBM X-Force ID: 295227.
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 System Management for i versions 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability stemming from an unqualified library program call. A local authenticated user can exploit this to execute arbitrary code with administrator/elevated privileges by placing malicious code in a location where the unqualified call will resolve to it instead of the intended library.
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= 7.2= 7.3= 7.4CVSS 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
- None
- User interaction
- Required
- Scope
- Unchanged
- Confidentiality
- High
- Integrity
- High
- Availability
- High
CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
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.
-
Verify IBM i versionRun command: DSPSFWRSC (Display Software Resources) and look for '5770SS1' entry, or use WRKIMGCLG to check the current IBM i release. Alternatively, run command: 'DSPOSinfo' to display operating system information.Affected if The installed version is 7.2, 7.3, or 7.4 and falls within the vulnerable release range.
-
Confirm System Management for i component is installedRun command: GO LICPGM (Work with Licensed Programs) and check for the presence of System Management for i (5733SM) or verify via WRKPEP (Work with Program Entries) if System Management services are active.Affected if The System Management for i component is installed and running on the affected IBM i version.
-
Identify unqualified program call usageReview job logs and system history for programs called without fully qualified library names (format: PROGRAM instead of LIBRARY/PROGRAM). Use command: DSPJOBLOG OUTPUT(*PRINT) on suspicious jobs, or inspect source code for calls lacking library qualifier.Affected if Unqualified program calls exist in the System Management for i environment that could resolve to user-controlled locations.
-
Check for unauthorized library paths in library listUse command: DSPLIBL (Display Library List) to examine the current library list for user-created or temporary libraries positioned before system libraries. Review JOBL for job default library list.Affected if The library list includes user-writable libraries (like QTEMP, QGPL, or user libraries) positioned ahead of system libraries where malicious code could be placed.
-
Audit user access to IBM i systemReview user profiles with *ALLOBJ or special authorities using DSPUSRPRF (*ALL). Check for unnecessary local authenticated users with elevated privileges who could exploit this vulnerability.Affected if Multiple local authenticated users exist with access to place code in library list search paths.
The environment is affected if running IBM i version 7.2, 7.3, or 7.4 with System Management for i installed, where unqualified program calls can resolve to user-controlled library locations.
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.
From vendor dataApply IBM's security patch (refer to IBM X-Force ID 295227 or IBM's PTF/hipers fixes) to properly qualify library program calls, and restrict local system access to trusted users until the patch is deployed.
- Consultation2.0 h
- Implementation4.0 h
- Testing3.0 h
- Review / QA1.0 h
An estimate, not a bill — we confirm scope with you before any work starts. Need it this week? Rush from $2,800.
Scan for this in your stack
Free · runs locallyCheck whether your project pulls in CVE-2024-38330 — 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-2024-38330 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