# CVE-2024-38330: IBM i privilege escalation

> A local user can gain administrator privileges on IBM i by exploiting an unqualified library program call, allowing execution of malicious code.

- **Severity:** High 7.0 (`CVSS:3.1/AV:L/AC:H/PR:N/UI:R/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H`)
- **Exploited in the wild:** Not known
- **Login needed:** Not needed
- **Attackable:** Local or same network only
- **Victim action needed:** A user has to click or open something
- **Fix available:** No
- **Published:** 8 Jul 2024
- **Updated:** 2 Aug 2024
- **Also known as:** GHSA-93q5-fmhm-mp7p

## What is CVE-2024-38330?

CVE-2024-38330 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm I, published on 8 Jul 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.

### Official description

IBM System Management for i 7.2, 7.3, and 7.4 could allow a local user to gain elevated privileges due to an unqualified library program call.  A malicious actor could cause user-controlled code to run with administrator privilege.  IBM X-Force ID:  295227.

Weakness: CWE-427 (Uncontrolled Search Path Element)

## Which versions are affected by CVE-2024-38330?

It affects 1 product.


Products: Ibm I.

## How do I fix CVE-2024-38330?

No fix has been published for CVE-2024-38330 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.

## Is CVE-2024-38330 being exploited?

There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-38330 in the wild and no public exploit code.

## Other vulnerabilities in Ibm I

- [CVE-2026-96119](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-96119/): IBM i is Affected By An Improper Control of Code Generation Vulnerability in HTTP Server Administration GUI (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-16860](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-16860/): IBM i is Affected By Remote Code Execution Vulnerability [] (critical 9.9)
- [CVE-2026-17083](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17083/): IBM i is Affected By Multiple Vulnerabilities in the Debug Server (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-17218](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17218/): IBM i is Affected By Remote Code Execution Vulnerability in Line Printer Daemon [] (critical 9.8)
- [CVE-2026-17276](https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2026-17276/): IBM i is Affected By Multiple Vulnerabilities in Navigator for i (critical 9.6)

## Fix prompt for AI coding agents

```text
Check this codebase for CVE-2024-38330 and fix it if it is affected.

What it is: CVE-2024-38330 is a high-severity vulnerability in Ibm I, published on 8 Jul 2024. It can only be exploited from the same machine or local network, and only if a user opens a file or follows a link.
Exploitation: There is no known exploitation of CVE-2024-38330 in the wild and no public exploit code.

Affected product: Ibm I. 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-2024-38330/ (Markdown: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38330/index.md)
```

## Sources

- CVE record: https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2024-38330
- NVD: https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/detail/CVE-2024-38330
- OSV: https://osv.dev/vulnerability/CVE-2024-38330

---
From sbomify Insights: https://insights.sbomify.com/CVE-2024-38330/
Summaries are generated and may contain mistakes; the official description above is the record.