Security Bulletin
Summary
IBM Robotic Process Automation could allow a local user to escalate their privileges. All files in the install inherit the file permissions of the parent directory and therefore a non-privileged user can substitute any executable for the nssm.exe service. A subsequent service or server restart will then run that binary with administrator privilege. This bulletin identifies the security fix to apply to address the vulnerability.
Vulnerability Details
CVEID: CVE-2024-51448
DESCRIPTION: IBM Robotic Process Automation could allow a local user to escalate their privileges. All files in the install inherit the file permissions of the parent directory and therefore a non-privileged user can substitute any executable for the nssm.exe service. A subsequent service or server restart will then run that binary with administrator privilege.
CWE: CWE-277: Insecure Inherited Permissions
CVSS Source: IBM
CVSS Base score: 6.7
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:L/PR:H/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H)
Affected Products and Versions
| Affected Product(s) | Version(s) |
| IBM Robotic Process Automation | 21.0.0 - 21.0.7.17, 23.0.0 - 23.0.18 |
Remediation/Fixes
| Product(s) | Version(s) number and/or range | Remediation/Fix/Instructions |
| IBM Robotic Process Automation | 21.0.0 - 21.0.7.16 | Download 21.0.7.17 or higher and follow these instructions. |
| IBM Robotic Process Automation | 23.0.0 - 23.0.16 | Download 23.0.17 or higher and follow these instructions. |
These vulnerabilities affect the IBM Robotic Process Automation server.
Workarounds and Mitigations
As a workaround, change the registry to include quotes on the executable path:
- Stop IBMRPAWatsonNLPRuntimeService and IBMRPAWDGLicenseMetricService services
- Open the Registry Editor
- Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IBMRPAWatsonNLPRuntimeService and change the ImagePath to include quotes
- Navigate to Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\IBMRPAWDGLicenseMetricService and change the ImagePath to include quotes
- Restart IBMRPAWatsonNLPRuntimeService and IBMRPAWDGLicenseMetricService services
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References
Acknowledgement
Change History
02 Dec 2024: Initial Publication
*The CVSS Environment Score is customer environment specific and will ultimately impact the Overall CVSS Score. Customers can evaluate the impact of this vulnerability in their environments by accessing the links in the Reference section of this Security Bulletin.
Disclaimer
According to the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is an "industry open standard designed to convey vulnerability severity and help to determine urgency and priority of response." IBM PROVIDES THE CVSS SCORES ""AS IS"" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CUSTOMERS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF ANY ACTUAL OR POTENTIAL SECURITY VULNERABILITY. In addition to other efforts to address potential vulnerabilities, IBM periodically updates the record of components contained in our product offerings. As part of that effort, if IBM identifies previously unidentified packages in a product/service inventory, we address relevant vulnerabilities regardless of CVE date. Inclusion of an older CVEID does not demonstrate that the referenced product has been used by IBM since that date, nor that IBM was aware of a vulnerability as of that date. We are making clients aware of relevant vulnerabilities as we become aware of them. "Affected Products and Versions" referenced in IBM Security Bulletins are intended to be only products and versions that are supported by IBM and have not passed their end-of-support or warranty date. Thus, failure to reference unsupported or extended-support products and versions in this Security Bulletin does not constitute a determination by IBM that they are unaffected by the vulnerability. Reference to one or more unsupported versions in this Security Bulletin shall not create an obligation for IBM to provide fixes for any unsupported or extended-support products or versions.
Document Location
Worldwide
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Document Information
Modified date:
28 January 2025
UID
ibm17177586