Description

IBM API Connect 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to execute arbitrary SQL commands due to SQL injection.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "9.9",
  "pubDate": "2026-11-07T05:18:26.630Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-11-07T05:18:26.630Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability is an SQL injection flaw identified within IBM API Connect, affecting versions 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2.\nThe vulnerability allows a remote, authenticated attacker to inject and execute arbitrary SQL commands against the underlying backend database.\nSuccessful exploitation of this flaw can lead to unauthorized data exposure, manipulation of database contents, or potential service disruption depending on the attacker's level of access.\nThe primary risk implication involves the potential bypass of application-level security controls, allowing unauthorized interaction with the database layer.\nThe vulnerability requires the attacker to possess valid credentials to access the API Connect management or developer interfaces, meaning it is not exploitable by unauthenticated users.\nAs this represents a significant breach of the application's data integrity and confidentiality, organizations utilizing affected versions of IBM API Connect are advised to assess their exposure and implement provided security updates or compensating controls immediately.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability resides within the request processing logic of IBM API Connect, specifically where user-supplied input is improperly sanitized or parameterized before being incorporated into database queries.\nThis occurs because the application fails to utilize secure query patterns, such as prepared statements or parameterized queries, when interacting with the database backend.\nConsequently, an attacker with authenticated access can provide specially crafted input strings containing SQL control characters, such as single quotes or comment markers, to manipulate the structure of the intended SQL statement.\nThe attack flow initiates when an authenticated user sends a request to a vulnerable endpoint within the API Connect environment. By injecting malicious SQL syntax into fields or parameters processed by the backend, the attacker alters the query logic.\nFor example, an attacker might use techniques such as tautologies (e.g., ' OR 1=1 --) to bypass authentication checks or filter-based logic, or use UNION-based injection to extract data from tables not intended for the user's specific context.\nBecause the database service typically runs with the privileges of the API Connect service account, the executed commands may result in elevated data access, including the ability to read sensitive configuration information, API keys, or user credentials stored within the database.\nFurthermore, depending on the database configuration and permissions, an attacker might be capable of modifying, inserting, or deleting records, potentially leading to unauthorized system changes or denial-of-service states if critical configuration tables are corrupted.\nThe vulnerability is limited to authenticated actors, implying that the attack surface is restricted to those already provisioned within the API Connect environment. However, this does not mitigate the severity, as malicious insiders or compromised developer/admin accounts could exploit the flaw to perform lateral movement or privilege escalation within the application ecosystem.\nThe vulnerability persists across the stated range of versions 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2, necessitating a thorough patch management process to ensure that the input handling routines are correctly updated to sanitize all dynamic database queries."
}