Description

IBM Db2 11.5.0 through 11.5.9, and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5 is vulnerable to buffer overflow in the IXF IMPORT parser.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.4",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-12T22:17:14.203Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-12T22:17:14.203Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A buffer overflow vulnerability exists within the IXF IMPORT parser of IBM Db2, specifically impacting versions 11.5.0 through 11.5.9, and versions 12.1.0 through 12.1.5. The flaw resides in the processing logic of Integration Exchange Format (IXF) files during database import operations. An unauthenticated local or remote attacker capable of supplying a maliciously crafted IXF import file can trigger memory corruption within the parsing routines. Successful exploitation of this vulnerability can lead to arbitrary code execution, system compromise, or a denial of service (DoS) state affecting the underlying database instance. The risk implications are severe, as database management systems typically run with elevated operating system privileges, potentially granting the attacker complete control over the host environment. Exploitation generally requires the target database system to process the specially crafted IXF file via the import utility, often contingent upon social engineering or prior access to initiate a database import operation.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is classified as a buffer overflow occurring specifically within the IXF IMPORT parser component of IBM Db2. The affected software versions comprise IBM Db2 11.5.0 through 11.5.9 and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5. The root cause of the vulnerability stems from improper bounds checking and memory management when the parser reads and processes structural fields, headers, or data records within an Integration Exchange Format (IXF) file. When the parser encounters malformed or oversized input fields that exceed the pre-allocated memory buffer limits, a classic stack-based or heap-based buffer overflow condition is triggered.\nThe attack flow begins when an attacker crafts a malicious IXF file containing carefully structured payloads designed to overflow the designated memory buffers during ingestion. The victim or an automated process initiates an import operation using the vulnerable IXF IMPORT parser against the malicious file. As the parser sequentially reads the file sections, it copies the excessive input data into the fixed-size destination buffer without validating the input length against the buffer capacity. This results in the overwriting of adjacent memory regions, which may include critical execution control data, function pointers, or saved frame pointers.\nIf control data is successfully overwritten, the instruction pointer can be redirected to attacker-controlled shellcode or memory locations containing malicious payloads upon function return. The post-exploitation impact includes the execution of arbitrary code with the security context of the user running the Db2 service process, which frequently possesses administrative or high-privilege access. Depending on the deployment architecture, authentication and specific database privileges may be required to execute the import command, though the exact vector depends on whether the parser processes untrusted files automatically or via explicit user interaction."
}