IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 25, Number 41

October 9, 2023 Doug Bidwell

Here is something interesting. There is a new cume for IBM i 7.3, just after it goes out of standard support and is now on extended support. For years, we have been after IBM to put a cume out when it stops supporting a release, kind of a summation at end of life. This is the first time Big Blue has managed to do that.

It is likely a coincidence, but it should have always been policy. It is difficult to round up docs and PTFs for an end of life product two years after the fact. Having a stake in the sand like a cume on last day of life would be very easy to reconcile ever after. So thanks for that, IBM.

And now, onto a whole bunch of security vulnerabilities you need to be aware of.

First, we have Security Bulletin: IBM i is vulnerable to a local privilege escalation (CVE-2023-40375), which you can find out more about here. The issue can be fixed by applying a PTF to IBM i:

IBM i Release	5770-SS1	
7.5	SI84247		
7.4	SI84248		
7.3	SI84249		
7.2	SI84250

Second, we have Security Bulletin: IBM i is vulnerable to a local privilege escalation due to a flaw in IBM Backup, Recovery & Media Services for i (CVE-2023-40377), with more information at this link here. The issue can be fixed by applying a PTF to IBM i. IBM i releases 7.4, 7.3, and 7.2 will be fixed. The vulnerability does not exist in IBM i 7.5. The IBM i PTF number for 5770-BR1 contains the fix for the vulnerability:

IBM i Release	5770-BR1
7.4	SI84629
7.3	SI84640
7.2	SI84637

Third, we have Security Bulletin: IBM i is vulnerable to a local privilege escalation due to a flaw in IBM Directory Server for i (CVE-2023-40378), and you can get all of the details here. The issue can be fixed by applying a PTF to IBM i:

IBM i Release	5770-SS1
7.5	SI84569
7.4	SI84583
7.3	SI84586
7.2	SI84584

Here is the rundown of PTF Groups by IBM i release level since we last published:

PTF Groups 7.5:

Nothing

PTF Groups 7.4:

Nothing

PTF Groups 7.3:

Latest Cumulative PTF Package C3257730

Tip O’ The Week: As of IBM i 7.5, PSF is available at no charge and is included in the OS license. And, for all releases, if feature code 5114 is installed, customers do not need to install 5112 or 5113. as 5114 supersedes the others. See more at this link.

New (or Updated) links added to the ‘Links’ tab in the guide this week:

PTF: Required PTFs for Upgrading to IBM i 7.5, 6248359
TCP/IP: Incorrectly Configured DNS Server Can Impact Database Connection Time, 645909

New (or Updated) links added to the ‘QMGtools’ tab in the guide this week:

Nothing

New (or Updated) links added to the ‘ACS_NAV’ tab in the guide this week:

ACS_NAV: Creating an IBM i NetServer File Share, 641295
DCM: How to create a certificate request (CSR), sign it by external or own CA and import it into DCM using OpenSSL, 7031100
IFS: Viruses, Malware, Spyware, Ransomware, the IBM i OS, and the IFS, 667265
IFS: File system comparison, N/A

New (or Updated) links added to the ‘Prtr Links’ tab in the guide this week:

Nothing

New (or Updated) links Redbooks added this week:

Nothing

The Guide at a glance: There are new defectives this week (10/07/23). Here is the defective PTF rundown, which is the last defective for each release:

	Defect		Defective	APAR	Fixing
	Date		PTF			PTF
	--------	--------	-------	------------------------	
7.5	08/25/23	SI84098		SE80391	SI84411 (When available)
7.4	08/25/23	SI84153		SE80391	SI84419 (When available)
7.3	10/06/23	SI84586		SE80598	xxxxxxx (When available)

Be sure to access the link in the Guide for further details.

Below is the usual archive of the IBM i PTF Guide to help you work through the PTFs in chronological order:

October 7, 2023: Volume 25, Number 41

September 30, 2023: Volume 25, Number 40

September 23, 2023: Volume 25, Number 39

September 16, 2023: Volume 25, Number 38

September 9, 2023: Volume 25, Number 37

September 2, 2023: Volume 25, Number 36

August 26, 2023: Volume 25, Number 35

August 19, 2023: Volume 25, Number 34

August 12, 2023: Volume 25, Number 33

August 5, 2023: Volume 25, Number 32