Security Bulletin
Summary
Vulnerabilities in cURL libcurl could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information (CVE-2025-0167, CVE-2024-11053) or cause a denial of service (CVE-2024-9681). AIX uses cURL libcurl as part of rsyslog, LV/PV encryption integration with HPCS and in Live Update for interacting with HMC.
Vulnerability Details
CVEID: CVE-2025-0167
DESCRIPTION: When asked to use a `.netrc` file for credentials **and** to follow HTTP
redirects, curl could leak the password used for the first host to the
followed-to host under certain circumstances.
This flaw only manifests itself if the netrc file has a `default` entry that
omits both login and password. A rare circumstance.
CVSS Source: CISA ADP
CVSS Base score: 3.4
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N)
CVEID: CVE-2024-11053
DESCRIPTION: When asked to both use a `.netrc` file for credentials and to follow HTTP
redirects, curl could leak the password used for the first host to the
followed-to host under certain circumstances.
This flaw only manifests itself if the netrc file has an entry that matches
the redirect target hostname but the entry either omits just the password or
omits both login and password.
CVSS Source: CISA ADP
CVSS Base score: 3.4
CVSS Vector: (CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:C/C:L/I:N/A:N)
CVEID: CVE-2024-9681
DESCRIPTION: When curl is asked to use HSTS, the expiry time for a subdomain might
overwrite a parent domain's cache entry, making it end sooner or later than
otherwise intended.
This affects curl using applications that enable HSTS and use URLs with the
insecure `HTTP://` scheme and perform transfers with hosts like
`x.example.com` as well as `example.com` where the first host is a subdomain
of the second host.
(The HSTS cache either needs to have been populated manually or there needs to
have been previous HTTPS accesses done as the cache needs to have entries for
the domains involved to trigger this problem.)
When `x.example.com` responds with `Strict-Transport-Security:` headers, this
bug can make the subdomain's expiry timeout *bleed over* and get set for the
parent domain `example.com` in curl's HSTS cache.
The result of a triggered bug is that HTTP accesses to `example.com` get
converted to HTTPS for a different period of time than what was asked for by
the origin server. If `example.com` for example stops supporting HTTPS at its
expiry time, curl might then fail to access `http://example.com` until the
(wrongly set) timeout expires. This bug can also expire the parent's entry
*earlier*, thus making curl inadvertently switch back to insecure HTTP earlier
than otherwise intended.
CWE: CWE-697: Incorrect Comparison
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:L/I:N/A:N)
Affected Products and Versions
| Affected Product(s) | Version(s) |
| AIX | 7.3.1 |
| AIX | 7.3.2 |
| AIX | 7.3.3 |
The following fileset levels are vulnerable:
| Fileset | Lower Level | Upper Level |
| oss.lib.libcurl | 7.79.1.0 | 7.79.1.0 |
| oss.lib.libcurl | 8.1.2.0 | 8.1.2.0 |
| oss.lib.libcurl | 8.5.0.0 | 8.5.0.1 |
Note: This bulletin does not apply to versions of curl installed from the AIX Toolbox.
To find out whether the affected filesets are installed on your systems, refer to the lslpp command found in AIX user's guide.
Example: lslpp -L | grep -i oss.lib.libcurl
Remediation/Fixes
A. FIXES
IBM strongly recommends addressing the vulnerability now.
AIX fixes are available.
The AIX fixes can be downloaded via https from:
https://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/curl_fix7.tar
The link above is 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 Curl version, and AIX Curl fixes are cumulative.
| AIX Level | Interim Fix |
| 7.3.1, 7.3.2, 7.3.3 | 11053sa.250506.epkg.Z |
Please reference the Affected Products and Version section above for help with checking installed fileset levels.
To extract the fixes from the tar file:
tar xvf curl_fix7.tar
cd curl_fix7
Verify you have retrieved the fixes intact:
The checksums below were generated using the "openssl dgst -sha256 [filename]" command as the following:
| openssl dgst -sha256 | filename |
| 618f674794b9012b69a7e491c877c5926656e976cc9c290cf13a5b625ba74aee | 11053sa.250506.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 Support at http://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/curl_advisory7.asc.sig
B. FIX AND INTERIM FIX INSTALLATION
If possible, it is recommended that a mksysb backup of the system be created. Verify it is both bootable and readable before proceeding.
To preview a fix installation:
installp -a -d fix_name -p all # where fix_name is the name of the
# fix package being previewed.
To install a fix package:
installp -a -d fix_name -X all # where fix_name is the name of the
# fix package being installed.
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
04 Jun 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:
10 June 2025
Initial Publish date:
04 June 2025
UID
ibm17235621