# CVE-2019-4031: Privilege escalation in Workload Scheduler Distributed

> A local user can write files as root in IBM Workload Scheduler Distributed, allowing them to gain root privileges.

- **Severity:** High 8.4 (`CVSS:3.0/PR:N/AC:L/AV:L/A:H/I:H/UI:N/C:H/S:U/RL:O/E:U/RC:C`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** Not needed
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 16 Oct 2019
- **Updated:** 17 Sep 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-fvfx-329r-5rr2

## What is CVE-2019-4031?

CVE-2019-4031 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM Workload Scheduler Distributed, published on 16 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.

### Official description

IBM Workload Scheduler Distributed 9.2, 9.3, 9.4, and 9.5 contains a vulnerability that could allow a local user to write files as root in the file system, which could allow the attacker to gain root privileges. IBM X-Force ID: 155997.

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2019-4031?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm Tivoli Workload Scheduler.

## How do I fix CVE-2019-4031?

No fix has been published for CVE-2019-4031 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2019-4031 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-4031 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in IBM Workload Scheduler Distributed

- [CVE-2022-22486](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-22486/): IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler XML external entity injection (critical 10.0)
- [CVE-2018-1386](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2018-1386/): Privilege escalation in Workload Scheduler (high 7.4)
- [CVE-2022-38389](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2022-38389/): IBM Tivoli Workload Scheduler XML external entity injection (high 7.1)
- [CVE-2021-20349](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2021-20349/): Memory corruption in Workload Scheduler (medium 5.9)
- [CVE-2019-4608](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4608/): Cross-site scripting in Workload Scheduler (medium 5.4)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2019-4031 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2019-4031 is a high-severity vulnerability in IBM Workload Scheduler Distributed, published on 16 Oct 2019. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, with no action from the victim.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2019-4031 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: IBM Workload Scheduler Distributed. No package-level version data is available, so check the vendor advisory linked from the reference page.

Task:
1. Search the dependency manifests and lockfiles (for example package.json, package-lock.json, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, uv.lock, pom.xml, build.gradle, go.mod, Cargo.lock, Gemfile.lock) and any Dockerfiles for the affected packages, including transitive dependencies.
2. If an affected version is in use, upgrade it to the fixed version for its release line with the project's package manager, so the lockfile is regenerated. Prefer the smallest upgrade that fixes it.
3. If there is no fix, or the upgrade would break the build, do not guess: explain the risk and the safest workaround instead.
4. Run the tests and summarise what changed and why.
5. If nothing in the project is affected, say so and change nothing.

Reference: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4031/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4031/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2019-4031
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2019-4031
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2019-4031

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2019-4031/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.