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CVE Record

CVE-2020-28198: The 'id' parameter of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Version 5 Release 2 (Command Line Administrative Interface...

The 'id' parameter of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Version 5 Release 2 (Command Line Administrative Interface, dsmadmc.exe) is vulnerable to an exploitable stack buffer overflow. Note: the vulnerability can be exploited when it is used in "interactive" mode while, cause of a max number characters limitation, it cannot be exploited in batch or command line usage (e.g. dsmadmc.exe -id=username -password=pwd). NOTE: This vulnerability only affects products that are no longer supported by the maintainer

UnknownCVSS not scoredNot KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This is a flaw in an obsolete IBM Tivoli Storage Manager administrative command-line client. A long interactive value for the user ID field can overflow memory. The business risk is mostly tied to legacy systems still running this unsupported client, especially administrator workstations.

Executive priority

Treat this as a legacy-technology cleanup risk. It is not shown as actively exploited, but unsupported administrative tooling with public exploit material deserves prompt removal or isolation.

Technical view

CVE-2020-28198 is an exploitable stack buffer overflow in the `id` parameter of IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Version 5 Release 2 `dsmadmc.exe`. The source states exploitation applies to interactive mode, not batch or command-line use, because those paths limit input length.

Likely exposure

Exposure is likely limited to legacy Windows environments that still have the unsupported IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Version 5 Release 2 administrative client installed and used interactively.

Exploitation context

The CVE is not listed as CISA KEV in the provided bundle. Public exploit-development references exist, but the bundle does not show confirmed active exploitation in the wild.

Researcher notes

The key exposure boundary is interaction mode. The CVE text explicitly says batch or command-line use with `-id` and `-password` is not exploitable because of input-length limits. No CVSS, CWE, patch, or supported affected-version matrix is provided.

Mitigation direction

  • Identify and retire unsupported IBM Tivoli Storage Manager Version 5 Release 2 clients.
  • Move administrators to a supported IBM storage management client or platform.
  • Avoid interactive `dsmadmc.exe` use until vendor guidance is confirmed.
  • Restrict access to systems where the legacy administrative client remains installed.
  • Check IBM or maintainer guidance for supported upgrade and remediation options.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory endpoints and servers for IBM Tivoli Storage Manager administrative client installations.
  • Confirm whether `dsmadmc.exe` Version 5 Release 2 is present.
  • Review whether administrators use the client in interactive mode.
  • Verify legacy clients are removed, isolated, or replaced with supported versions.
  • Document any remaining exception with owner, business need, and removal date.
Prepared
Confidence
medium
Sources
4

Public sources used

Generated from the cited source records. This long-tail analysis has not been individually reviewed by a named human.

Potential ATT&CK relevance

Conservative CVE-to-ATT&CK context

These mappings and lookup hints may be relevant to the vulnerability behavior, CWE, affected product, or exposure path. Glexia-inferred context is not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, CWE, or CVE Program mapping.

ATT&CK lookup starting points

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description · low confidence lookup

Credential and access behavior lookup

The CVE wording references authentication or credential exposure, so valid-account and credential-access review may help. This is a Glexia inferred lookup path, not an official MITRE, ATT&CK, or CVE Program mapping.

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cve · low confidence lookup

CVE-2020-28198 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Unknown
CVSS
Not scored
Known Exploited
No
Published
Official CVE source material

CNA and ADP enrichment extracted from CVE v5

These fields come from the CVE record and ADP containers, not from Glexia's Take. They preserve time-varying source decisions such as CISA SSVC, KEV status, CVSS metrics, and provider references.

0CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS and timeline data

No CVSS vectors or timeline events were available in the normalized CVE source material.

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
n/an/an/aListed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

CWE links open Glexia weakness intelligence pages with official CWE context, developer remediation guidance, and related CVE mappings.