Doug Bidwell
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 11
March 18, 2024 Doug Bidwell
This week in IBM i is sponsored by security vulnerabilities and precious little else. There are three security vulnerabilities that are new that you need to be aware of, so let’s get to it and let you get back to work.
First, we have Security Bulletin: IBM Db2 Web Query for i is vulnerable to a remote attacker bypassing security restrictions or to denial of service, which you can read more about here. The fixes are as follows:
IBM Db2 Web Query for i Release OS Release 5733WQX 2.4.0 7.4 and 7.5 SI85982 SI85987
Second, we have Security Bulletin: …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 10
March 11, 2024 Doug Bidwell
The beat just keeps on rolling for IBM i 7.2, which is now four releases back from the current IBM i 7.5 release and which is still getting updates. There is a new Group HIPER again this week after there being a Group HIPER only a week ago, and there is also a Group Security set of patches, too, for IBM i 7.2.
To be precise, there is a new 720 Group HIPER, level 243, rolled up in PTF patch SF99719, which you can read about here. There is also a new 720 Group Security, level 130, rolled up …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 9
March 4, 2024 Doug Bidwell
IBM i 7.2 has been superseded a long time ago, but there is still a lot of it in the Power Systems installed base and Big Blue is still making updates to it for those customers who are stuck on the 7.2 release and who are stuck paying for extended support, which is very expensive. To that end, there is a new 720 Group HIPER, level 242, rolled up in PTF patch SF99719, which you can read about here.
There are also two new security vulnerabilities for the IBM i stack.
First, we have Security Bulletin: IBM WebSphere Application …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 8
February 26, 2024 Doug Bidwell
It is a rare week when there is not some sort of security bulletin that affects all of the major operating systems, and this week is not one of those rare weeks. There are three security vulnerabilities affecting the current IBM i releases as well as a group of security patches for the vintage IBM i 7.2 release. Let’s get started with the security vulnerabilities, as is our common practice.
First, we have Security Bulletin: Multiple Vulnerabilities in IBM Java SDK affect IBM WebSphere Application Server and IBM WebSphere Application Server Liberty due to January 2024 CPU, which you can …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 7
February 19, 2024 Doug Bidwell
Aside from two new security vulnerabilities, it has been a pretty quiet week in IBM i PTF Land. There are some updates for the current releases of IBM i – that would be IBM i 7.4 and IBM i 7.5 that are both on standard support and IBM i 7.3 that is on extended support – and of course there are some new defective PTFs that Big Blue needs to make you aware of, as often happens because all modern platforms are complex and all of them sometimes have patches that have unintended consequences.
Let’s start with the security issues, …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 6
February 12, 2024 Doug Bidwell
This week we have three new security vulnerabilities, but first we want to remind you that you need to prepare firewalls and proxies for the upcoming infrastructure changes for IBM Call Home, Electronic Fix Distribution. This is considered HIPER by IBM (High Impact/Pervasive), which you can read about here. Public Internet IP addresses are changing for the IBM servers that support Call Home and electronic download of fixes for customer systems’ software, hardware, and operating system. This change pertains to all operating systems and applications connecting to IBM for electronic Call Home and fix download. If you have a …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 5
February 5, 2024 Doug Bidwell
Here is the latest on the mystery of the disappearing QSYS library. If you use SF99740 and SF99741 downloaded from this week, then there shouldn’t be any issues with applying any of the groups. The fixing PTF SI85707 is included in the latest DB group, even though it does not have a new level and does not have a cover letter. If you are using either of those Group PTF orders from prior weeks, then the workaround we described last week is the best course of action.
Be careful here. When you order SF99740, you will receive several .bin files. …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 4
January 29, 2024 Doug Bidwell
OK, here’s a weird one and one that we have helped several customers sort out in the past few days and heard about from other business partners. There is a defective PTF for IBM i 7.4 that when applied with other software patches can cause the QSYS file system at the heart of the IBM i platform to magically disappear.
Ooooof! Kinda hits you right in the solar plexus when you think about it. . . .
This one is number 50 on the defective PTF list for IBM i 7.4, which you can read about at this link and …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 3
January 22, 2024 Doug Bidwell
Earlier last week, we reported on HIPER and security patches for the relatively ancient IBM i 7.2, which has long since been off standard and now extended maintenance. Now there is another patch for IBM i 7.2, which we found out about this past weekend.
To review, in Number 2 of the IBM i PTF Guide for 2024, there was an IBM i 7.2 Group HIPER, level 240, which is SF99719 and which you can find out more about here, and an IBM i 7.2 Group Security, level 128, which is SF99718 and which you can find out more …
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IBM i PTF Guide, Volume 26, Number 2
January 17, 2024 Doug Bidwell
As odd as it may seem, this week there are HIPER and security patches available for IBM i 7.2, which has long since been off standard and now extended maintenance.
First, there is a defective PTF for IBM i 7.2, which was noted on January 10.
- LICENSED PROGRAM = 5798FAX
- APAR NUMBER: SE81023
- RECOMMENDATION: Apply fixing PTF xxxxxxx when it becomes available, or remove PTF SI85576, or use the SNDFAX command instead of the SBMFAX command.
There is also an IBM i 7.2 Group HIPER, level 240, which is SF99719 and which you can find out more about here, …
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