Description

IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.4.0.0 IBM DataStage could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary commands due to os command injection.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.8",
  "pubDate": "2026-09-14T20:16:40.917Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-09-14T20:16:40.917Z",
  "executiveSummary": "IBM DataStage on Cloud Pak for Data 5.4.0.0 is susceptible to an OS command injection vulnerability, allowing authenticated remote attackers to execute arbitrary system commands.\nThe vulnerability originates from improper sanitization of user-supplied input before passing it to system-level execution functions, potentially leading to unauthorized system access, data exfiltration, or complete host compromise.\nThe flaw affects the IBM DataStage component within the Cloud Pak for Data ecosystem. Exploitation requires the attacker to hold valid authentication credentials for the environment, posing a critical risk to data integrity, confidentiality, and platform availability.\nSuccessful exploitation facilitates unauthorized code execution within the context of the underlying service account, enabling the attacker to bypass application-level security controls.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is classified as an OS command injection flaw arising from insecure handling of input parameters passed to underlying operating system command shells. This occurs when the application fails to properly validate, filter, or escape input data used in conjunction with system-level function calls or shell execution primitives.\nThe root cause lies in the application's implementation of dynamic command construction, where untrusted input is concatenated directly into system command strings. This allows an authenticated attacker to inject shell metacharacters such as semicolons, pipes, or backticks to terminate intended commands and execute arbitrary malicious commands.\nAttack flow typically begins with an authenticated attacker interacting with an affected API endpoint or administrative interface that processes user inputs. By manipulating these input fields, the attacker submits specially crafted payloads designed to execute OS commands. For instance, if the application invokes a system utility (e.g., shell commands) using unchecked user input, the attacker can leverage syntax such as 'input; command' to redirect the execution flow.\nThe vulnerable component likely resides within the backend service logic responsible for processing job configurations, metadata handling, or environmental script execution within DataStage. Because DataStage operates within the Cloud Pak for Data environment, an attacker could potentially gain elevated privileges or move laterally within the containerized infrastructure.\nPost-exploitation impact is severe, as the attacker achieves execution of arbitrary code with the same privileges as the IBM DataStage process. This may allow for the enumeration of sensitive environment variables, access to configuration files, persistent backdoor deployment, or interaction with integrated data sources that the service account is authorized to access.\nThe vulnerability is restricted to authenticated users, meaning that the attacker must have gained access to the platform before initiating the exploit. However, in enterprise environments, the threat posed by malicious or compromised internal accounts remains significant."
}