Description

IBM Informix Dynamic Server 14.10, and 15.0 contain a local privilege escalation vulnerability in the oninit setuid-root utility.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-08-12T21:17:35.260Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-08-12T21:17:35.260Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A local privilege escalation vulnerability exists within the setuid-root utility of IBM Informix Dynamic Server 14.10 and 15.0. The security flaw allows local users with execution access to elevate their privileges to root on the underlying host operating system.\nThe vulnerability represents a critical risk to confidentiality, integrity, and availability, as successful exploitation grants the attacker unconstrained administrative control over the affected server.\nThe attack vector is local, requiring the threat actor to have initial low-privileged shell access or execution capabilities on the host system. No network exposure is inherently required for the exploitation of this setuid-root mechanism.\nRisk implications include full host compromise, potential lateral movement within the network, unauthorized data access, and manipulation of database binaries or system configurations.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides in the oninit binary, which operates with setuid-root permissions in IBM Informix Dynamic Server versions 14.10 and 15.0.\nThe root cause stems from improper input validation, insecure environment variable handling, or flawed logic within the privileged initialization routines of the oninit utility when executed by unprivileged local users.\nAuthentication requirements are minimal; the attacker must possess local interactive or programmatic access to the host operating system with standard user privileges.\nPrivilege requirements involve executing the vulnerable setuid-root oninit binary with maliciously crafted parameters, environment variables, or through file descriptor manipulation.\nThe attack flow proceeds as follows: First, the local attacker provisions a malicious environment, custom input parameters, or symbolic links designed to interact with the initialization sequence of the oninit utility. Second, the attacker executes the vulnerable setuid-root binary. Third, due to insufficient boundary checks or insecure file operations during execution, the utility improperly handles the supplied inputs or environment. Finally, this flaw is leveraged to bypass security controls, enabling the execution of arbitrary commands or the spawning of a root shell.\nThe payload behavior during exploitation typically involves executing commands with elevated system privileges or modifying sensitive system files accessible only to the root user.\nPost-exploitation impact encompasses complete system compromise, enabling the adversary to install persistent backdoors, dump memory contents, access sensitive database stores, and tamper with security auditing mechanisms."
}