CVE-2012-2179

IBM AIX 5.3, 6.1, 7.1 - Arbitrary File Write via Symlink Attack on Temporary File

Title source: llm
STIX 2.1

Exploitation Summary

EIP tracks 1 public exploit for CVE-2012-2179.

AI-analyzed exploit summary The exploit demonstrates a privilege escalation vulnerability in IBM AIX by leveraging a race condition in libodm. It creates a symlink to a target file, exploiting a time-of-check, time-of-use (TOCTOU) race to achieve arbitrary file writes with elevated privileges.

Description

libodm.a in IBM AIX 5.3, 6.1, and 7.1 allows local users to overwrite arbitrary files via a symlink attack on a temporary file.

Exploits (1)

exploitdb WORKING POC
localaix
https://www.exploit-db.com/exploits/33725

The exploit demonstrates a privilege escalation vulnerability in IBM AIX by leveraging a race condition in libodm. It creates a symlink to a target file, exploiting a time-of-check, time-of-use (TOCTOU) race to achieve arbitrary file writes with elevated privileges.

Classification
Working Poc 95%
Attack Type
Lpe
Complexity
Moderate
Reliability
Racy
Target: IBM AIX 6.1.8 and later
No auth needed
Prerequisites: Access to a vulnerable IBM AIX system · Ability to execute arbitrary code on the target system
devstral-2 · analyzed Feb 19, 2026 Full analysis →

References (9)

Core 9
Core References
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_aixapar
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IV21382
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_sectrack
http://www.securitytracker.com/id?1027193
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_aixapar
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IV21381
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_xf
https://exchange.xforce.ibmcloud.com/vulnerabilities/75510
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_aixapar
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IV21379
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_aixapar
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IV21383
Vendor Advisory vendor-advisory x_refsource_aixapar
http://www.ibm.com/support/docview.wss?uid=isg1IV22019
Third Party Advisory, VDB Entry vdb-entry x_refsource_osvdb
http://www.osvdb.org/83133
Patch, Vendor Advisory x_refsource_confirm
http://aix.software.ibm.com/aix/efixes/security/libodm_advisory.asc

Scores

EPSS 0.0175
EPSS Percentile 74.9%

Details

CWE
CWE-264
Status published
Products (3)
ibm/aix 5.3
ibm/aix 6.1
ibm/aix 7.1
Published Jun 22, 2012
Tracked Since Feb 18, 2026