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CVE Record

CVE-2020-4381: IBM Spectrum Scale for IBM Elastic Storage Server 5.3.0 through 5.3.6 could allow an authenticated user to...

IBM Spectrum Scale for IBM Elastic Storage Server 5.3.0 through 5.3.6 could allow an authenticated user to cause a denial of service during deployment or upgrade if GUI specific services are enabled. IBM X-Force ID: 179162.

MediumCVSS 5.3Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This issue can let an authenticated user disrupt IBM Elastic Storage Server during deployment or upgrade when specific GUI services are enabled. It is not a data theft or privilege escalation issue in the provided sources; the main business impact is operational downtime during sensitive storage maintenance windows.

Executive priority

Treat as a maintenance-window reliability risk for affected IBM storage environments. Prioritize remediation before planned deployments or upgrades, especially where many authenticated users can reach management services.

Technical view

CVE-2020-4381 affects IBM Spectrum Scale for IBM Elastic Storage Server 5.3.0 through 5.3.6. The CVSS 3.0 score is 5.3, with network attack vector, low privileges required, no user interaction, high attack complexity, and high availability impact only.

Likely exposure

Organizations running IBM Elastic Storage Server 5.3.0 through 5.3.6 with GUI-specific services enabled, especially during deployment or upgrade workflows. Exposure requires an authenticated user with network access. The provided sources do not evidence impact to other versions or products.

Exploitation context

No provided source reports active exploitation, and the CVE is not listed as KEV. The CVSS vector marks exploit maturity as unproven. The threat model is an authenticated, low-privileged actor causing denial of service under specific operational conditions.

Researcher notes

Evidence is limited to IBM/CVE descriptions and CVSS metadata. The provided bundle does not include detailed root cause, exploit procedure, specific fixed version, or observed exploitation. Avoid assuming broader Spectrum Scale impact beyond ESS 5.3.0 through 5.3.6.

Mitigation direction

  • Review IBM advisory for the vendor-supported remediation for affected Elastic Storage Server versions.
  • Apply IBM-supported fixes or upgrade guidance from the official advisory.
  • Restrict authenticated access to ESS management interfaces to trusted administrators only.
  • Avoid unnecessary GUI-specific services during deployment or upgrade windows where operationally feasible.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory IBM Elastic Storage Server deployments and confirm versions 5.3.0 through 5.3.6.
  • Confirm whether GUI-specific services are enabled during deployment or upgrade workflows.
  • Review access controls for authenticated users reaching ESS management or GUI-related services.
  • Check IBM advisory and X-Force entry for environment-specific remediation details.
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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CVE-2020-4381 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
5.3 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

Vector: CVSS:3.0/C:N/UI:N/PR:L/I:N/S:U/AV:N/AC:H/A:H/E:U/RC:C/RL:O

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.

1CVSS vectors
0Timeline events
0ADP providers
3Source links

CVSS vector scores

1 official score

We collect every scored CVSS vector available in the official CNA and ADP containers. When more than one version is present, the table keeps the source vectors side by side instead of collapsing them into the highest score.

ScoreVersionSeverityVectorExploitImpactSource
5.3CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/C:N/UI:N/PR:L/I:N/S:U/AV:N/AC:H/A:H/E:U/RC:C/RL:O1.63.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

5.3Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-4381Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

Vector: CVSS:3.0/C:N/UI:N/PR:L/I:N/S:U/AV:N/AC:H/A:H/E:U/RC:C/RL:O

Attack Vector
NetworkAdjacentLocalPhysical
Attack Complexity
LowHigh
Privileges Required
NoneLowHigh
User Interaction
NoneRequired
Scope
ChangedUnchanged
Confidentiality Impact
HighLowNone
Integrity Impact
HighLowNone
Availability Impact
HighLowNone

Source materials

Affected products

Products and packages named in the record

VendorProductVersion / packageStatus
IBMElastic Storage Server5.3.0, 5.3.6Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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