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CVE Record

CVE-2021-38923: IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW1010 could allow a privileged user to gain access to another VM due to assigning d...

IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW1010 could allow a privileged user to gain access to another VM due to assigning duplicate WWPNs. IBM X-Force ID: 210162.

HighCVSS 8Not KEV-listedUpdated
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Glexia's TakeAutomated analysishigh

Security readout for executives and security teams

Plain-English summary

This IBM PowerVM Hypervisor issue can break VM isolation on FW1010 systems. A privileged user could gain access to another virtual machine because duplicate WWPNs may be assigned. The business risk is serious where PowerVM hosts separate sensitive workloads or tenants.

Executive priority

Treat as high priority for IBM PowerVM estates because VM isolation is a core control. If FW1010 is not present, urgency drops substantially. If present on shared or sensitive hosts, schedule vendor-guided remediation promptly.

Technical view

CVE-2021-38923 affects IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW1010. The flaw involves duplicate WWPN assignment and is scored CVSS 3.0 8.0 high, with high confidentiality, integrity, and availability impact. The vector indicates network access, high privileges, high complexity, no user interaction, and changed scope.

Likely exposure

Exposure is limited to environments running IBM PowerVM Hypervisor FW1010. Priority is highest for shared virtualization hosts, segmented workloads, regulated data, or storage configurations relying on WWPN uniqueness. The provided sources do not identify other affected versions.

Exploitation context

The source bundle does not show active exploitation, and this CVE is not listed as KEV. The CVSS exploit maturity is unproven. Practical exploitation appears constrained by required privileged access and high complexity, but impact could cross VM boundaries.

Researcher notes

Evidence is concise: IBM describes duplicate WWPN assignment leading to access to another VM. No CWE is provided. Avoid assuming exploit availability or affected versions beyond FW1010. The CVSS vector supports severe impact but constrained exploitation conditions.

Mitigation direction

  • Review IBM advisory node 6495879 for official remediation.
  • Apply IBM-provided firmware or hypervisor updates for affected FW1010 systems.
  • Prioritize shared hosts carrying sensitive or tenant-separated workloads.
  • Check vendor guidance before relying on compensating controls.
  • Limit privileged access to PowerVM management functions.

Validation and detection

  • Inventory PowerVM Hypervisor firmware versions across managed hosts.
  • Identify any systems running FW1010.
  • Review storage and WWPN assignment records for duplication risks.
  • Confirm IBM remediation status on affected hosts.
  • Document privileged users with PowerVM management access.
Prepared
Confidence
high
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-2021-38923 mapping review

Open the CVE-to-ATT&CK bridge for reviewed, inferred, or future official mappings tied to this CVE.

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Vulnerability profileCVE Program record
Severity
High
CVSS
8 (3.0)
Known Exploited
No
Published

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

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
8CVSS 3.0HighCVSS:3.0/S:C/UI:N/PR:H/AC:H/I:H/A:H/AV:N/C:H/RL:O/E:U/RC:C1.36Primary CVE score

Vulnerability scoring details

Base CVSS 3.0 score

8High
CVSS 3.0 vector shape for CVE-2021-38923Attack VectorAttack ComplexityPrivileges RequiredUser InteractionScopeConfidentiality ImpactIntegrity ImpactAvailability Impact

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

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
IBMPowerVM HypervisorFW1010Listed
Weakness

CWE details

No CWE listed

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