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CVE Record

CVE-2020-4981: IBM Spectrum Scale 5.0.4.1 through 5.1.0.3 could allow a local privileged user to overwrite files due to im...

IBM Spectrum Scale 5.0.4.1 through 5.1.0.3 could allow a local privileged user to overwrite files due to improper input validation. IBM X-Force ID: 192541.

MediumCVSS 4.4Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysismoderate

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This issue affects IBM Spectrum Scale versions 5.0.4.1 through 5.1.0.3. A user who already has high local privileges could overwrite files because of improper input validation. Business risk is mainly integrity damage on systems where privileged local access is already possible.

Executive priority

Treat this as a controlled remediation item, not an internet-scale emergency. Prioritize affected production clusters and environments with many privileged operators or shared administrative access.

Technical view

CVE-2020-4981 is a local, high-privilege file overwrite flaw in IBM Spectrum Scale. CVSS 3.0 score is 4.4, with local attack vector, low complexity, high privileges required, and high integrity impact. IBM X-Force tracks it as ID 192541.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to organizations running IBM Spectrum Scale 5.0.4.1 through 5.1.0.3, especially where administrators, service accounts, or privileged local users can access cluster nodes.

Exploitation context

The supplied sources do not show active exploitation, and the CVSS exploit maturity is unproven. The flaw requires local access with high privileges, so it is more relevant after account compromise, insider misuse, or weak privileged-access controls.

Researcher notes

The public bundle identifies improper input validation leading to local privileged file overwrite, but does not include affected components, exact fixed versions, or procedural mitigations. Avoid assuming remote exploitability or broader IBM product impact.

Mitigation direction

  • Inventory IBM Spectrum Scale versions across all cluster nodes.
  • Apply IBM's official remediation from the IBM support advisory.
  • Restrict privileged local access to Spectrum Scale hosts.
  • Review privileged service accounts for unnecessary shell or node access.
  • Monitor sensitive file changes on affected hosts until remediated.

Validation and detection

  • Confirm whether any deployment runs versions 5.0.4.1 through 5.1.0.3.
  • Check IBM advisory guidance against installed package levels.
  • Verify remediation status on every Spectrum Scale node.
  • Review local privileged user and service-account access paths.
  • Look for unexpected privileged file modifications on affected systems.
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.

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CVE-2020-4981 mapping review

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
Medium
CVSS
4.4 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
4.4CVSS 3.0MediumCVSS:3.0/S:U/AC:L/I:H/AV:L/PR:H/A:N/C:N/UI:N/RL:O/RC:C/E:U0.83.6Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

4.4Medium
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2020-4981Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMSpectrum Scale5.0.4.1, 5.1.0.3Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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