Security Bulletin
Summary
Vulnerabilities in OpenSSL could allow an attacker to recover a private key (CVE-2024-13176) or execute arbitrary code or cause a denial of service (CVE-2024-9143). OpenSSL is used by AIX as part of AIX's secure network communications.
Vulnerability Details
DESCRIPTION: Issue summary: A timing side-channel which could potentially allow recovering the private key exists in the ECDSA signature computation. Impact summary: A timing side-channel in ECDSA signature computations could allow recovering the private key by an attacker. However, measuring the timing would require either local access to the signing application or a very fast network connection with low latency. There is a timing signal of around 300 nanoseconds when the top word of the inverted ECDSA nonce value is zero. This can happen with significant probability only for some of the supported elliptic curves. In particular the NIST P-521 curve is affected. To be able to measure this leak, the attacker process must either be located in the same physical computer or must have a very fast network connection with low latency. For that reason the severity of this vulnerability is Low.
CWE: CWE-385: Covert Timing Channel
CVSS Source: CISA ADP
CVSS Base score: 4.1
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:P/AC:L/PR:L/UI:N/S:U/C:L/I:L/A:L)
CVEID: CVE-2024-9143
DESCRIPTION: OpenSSL could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code on the system, caused by an out-of-bounds memory read or write flaw due to the use of the low-level GF(2^m) elliptic curve APIs with untrusted explicit values for the field polynomial. By sending a specially crafted request, an attacker could exploit this vulnerability to execute arbitrary code or cause the application to crash.
CWE: CWE-787: Out-of-bounds Write
CVSS Source: IBM X-Force
CVSS Base score: 3.7
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:L)
Affected Products and Versions
| Affected Product(s) | Version(s) |
| AIX | 7.2 |
| AIX | 7.3 |
| VIOS | 3.1 |
| VIOS | 4.1 |
The following fileset levels are vulnerable:
| Fileset | Lower Level | Upper Level |
| openssl.base | 1.1.2.0 | 1.1.2.2401 |
| openssl.base | 3.0.0.0 | 3.0.15.1000 |
Note:
A. 0.9.8, 1.0.1 OpenSSL versions are out-of-support. Support for OpenSSL 1.0.2 version ended in December 2023, and support for OpenSSL 1.1.1 version ended in December 2024. Considering long-term support, customers are advised to upgrade to OpenSSL 3.0 version.
To find out whether the affected filesets are installed on your systems, refer to the lslpp command found in the AIX user's guide.
Example: lslpp -L | grep -i openssl.base
Remediation/Fixes
A. FIXES
IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.
The fixes can be downloaded via https from:
https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/openssl_fix44.tar
The links above are to a tar file containing this signed advisory, fix packages, and OpenSSL signatures for each package. The fixes below include prerequisite checking. This will enforce the correct mapping between the fixes and AIX Technology Levels.
Note that the tar file contains Interim fixes that are based on OpenSSL version, and AIX OpenSSL fixes are cumulative. If an OpenSSL fileset with VMRF higher than the affected level listed above is available from the web download site, then that fileset is the recommended remediation.
You must be on the 'prereq for installation' level before applying the interim fix. This may require installing a new level(prereq version) first. Latest level of OpenSSL fileset is available from the web download site:
https://www.ibm.com/resources/mrs/assets?source=aixbp&S_PKG=openssl
| AIX Level | Interim Fix | Fileset Name(prereq for installation) |
| 7.2, 7.3 | 1122401sa.250204.epkg.Z | openssl.base(1.1.2.2401) |
| 7.2, 7.3 | 301510sa.250212.epkg.Z | openssl.base(3.0.15.1000) |
| VIOS Level | Interim Fix | Fileset Name(prereq for installation) |
| 3.1, 4.1 | 1122401sa.250204.epkg.Z | openssl.base(1.1.2.2401) |
| 3.1, 4.1 | 301510sa.250212.epkg.Z | openssl.base(3.0.15.1000) |
To extract the fixes from the tar file:
tar xvf openssl_fix44.tar
cd openssl_fix44
Verify you have retrieved the fixes intact:
The checksums below were generated using the "openssl dgst -sha256 [file]" command as the following:
| openssl dgst -sha256 | filename |
| 8201b31a20aa97c453db629a2efe53fb21af471cf3dab0c3d97559f33f00aa29 | 1122401sa.250204.epkg.Z |
| cd969c0ef51bf54787734042b21ce0e8b390127f6f8a95aa9d841410a795e2da | 301510sa.250212.epkg.Z |
These sums should match exactly. The OpenSSL signatures in the tar file and on this advisory can also be used to verify the integrity of the fixes. If the sums or signatures cannot be confirmed, contact IBM AIX Support at https://ibm.com/support/ and describe the discrepancy.
openssl dgst -sha256 -verify [pubkey_file] -signature [advisory_file].sig [advisory_file]
openssl dgst -sha256 -verify [pubkey_file] -signature [ifix_file].sig [ifix_file]
Published advisory OpenSSL signature file location:
https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/openssl_advisory44.asc.sig
B. FIX AND INTERIM FIX INSTALLATION
Interim fixes have had limited functional and regression testing but not the full regression testing that takes place for Service Packs; however, IBM does fully support them.
Interim fix management documentation can be found at:
https://www.ibm.com/support/pages/managing-interim-fixes-aix
To preview an interim fix installation:
emgr -e ipkg_name -p # where ipkg_name is the name of the
# interim fix package being previewed.
To install an interim fix package:
emgr -e ipkg_name -X # where ipkg_name is the name of the
# interim fix package being installed.
Workarounds and Mitigations
None
Get Notified about Future Security Bulletins
References
Acknowledgement
Change History
24 Feb 2025: 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:
14 April 2025
UID
ibm17184055