Description

IBM Db2 11.5.0 through 11.5.9, and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5 could allow a remote attacker to perform an arbitrary file write due to improper validation of file paths.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.5",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-14T20:16:39.057Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-14T20:16:39.057Z",
  "executiveSummary": "IBM Db2 versions 11.5.0 through 11.5.9 and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5 are susceptible to an arbitrary file write vulnerability resulting from insufficient input validation of file path parameters.\nThis vulnerability allows a remote, potentially unauthenticated attacker to manipulate file operations by injecting malicious path sequences into the application's processing logic.\nThe primary impact of this flaw is the unauthorized creation, overwriting, or corruption of critical system or configuration files, which can facilitate further exploitation such as remote code execution, privilege escalation, or complete service disruption.\nThe vulnerability resides within the file handling routines of the Db2 engine, where validation mechanisms fail to adequately sanitize directory traversal characters or canonicalize paths before interaction with the underlying filesystem.\nTo successfully exploit this, an attacker must be able to interface with the vulnerable component, potentially leading to unauthorized data modification or system instability depending on the targeted file location.\nGiven the nature of file write vulnerabilities in database management systems, this issue carries a high risk rating, necessitating urgent attention to vendor-supplied security patches or compensatory controls to prevent unauthorized access or persistence mechanisms.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of this vulnerability lies in the improper validation of file path inputs processed by the IBM Db2 server. The application fails to strictly enforce canonicalization or bounds checking on user-supplied paths, allowing for directory traversal or path manipulation attacks.\nWhen the vulnerable component receives a request involving file system interaction, it does not adequately sanitize input strings, enabling an attacker to specify locations outside of the intended directory structure. By injecting directory traversal patterns—such as '../'—or using absolute paths, an attacker can bypass intended security boundaries and target sensitive files within the operating system hosting the database instance.\nThe attack flow typically involves the attacker crafting a malicious request directed at an exposed interface or feature that invokes file write operations. Upon receiving the payload, the Db2 engine parses the unvalidated path parameter. Because the application logic fails to verify if the resolved target path resides within the restricted, secure operational environment, it executes the write command on the specified location with the privileges of the database service account.\nThis behavior facilitates several post-exploitation scenarios. If an attacker can overwrite executable binaries, library files, or configuration scripts, they may be able to achieve arbitrary code execution by forcing the service to load malicious components upon restart or during routine execution. Furthermore, overwriting critical environment configurations can lead to unauthorized data access or local denial-of-service conditions.\nThe susceptibility spans IBM Db2 versions 11.5.0 through 11.5.9 and 12.1.0 through 12.1.5. Exploitation does not necessarily require highly sophisticated techniques if the interface accepting the path is reachable over the network; however, the success of the write operation is ultimately constrained by the permissions afforded to the OS-level user account running the Db2 service. If that service account possesses elevated privileges or broad write access across the file system, the risk profile significantly increases, allowing for comprehensive system compromise.\nThe absence of rigorous input validation at the application level means the filesystem is exposed to external influence, bypassing the intended security architecture that should encapsulate database-specific data away from core system internals."
}