Description

IBM API Connect 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to obtain sensitive information due to improper authorization.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "7.7",
  "pubDate": "2026-11-07T05:18:41.127Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-11-07T05:18:41.127Z",
  "executiveSummary": "This vulnerability involves an improper authorization flaw within IBM API Connect, affecting versions 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2.\nThe security defect permits a remote authenticated attacker to bypass intended access controls, resulting in the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information.\nThe vulnerability resides in the authorization logic governing user permissions and resource access, posing a significant risk to data confidentiality and systemic integrity.\nExploitation requires the attacker to possess authenticated access to the platform; however, once authenticated, the attacker can leverage the authorization deficiency to access data beyond their assigned security scope.\nThe potential impact includes the unauthorized retrieval of internal configuration data, API definitions, or sensitive business information that should be protected by Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) mechanisms.\nOrganizations deploying the affected versions of IBM API Connect are advised to assess their exposure and prioritize administrative hardening or security updates if available.",
  "technicalDetails": "The vulnerability is classified as an improper authorization issue where the application fails to adequately validate the privileges of a user before granting access to sensitive resources or endpoints.\nRoot cause analysis indicates that the authorization check logic is bypassed or improperly implemented during the processing of specific API requests, allowing an authenticated user to perform actions or access datasets outside their authorized privilege level.\nIn a typical attack flow, the adversary maintains a valid session within the IBM API Connect environment. By manipulating request parameters or targeting specific API endpoints that are not adequately constrained by the backend authorization policy engine, the attacker triggers the vulnerable code path.\nThe system, failing to perform a secondary validation of the user's role-based access rights against the requested resource, proceeds to return sensitive information that would otherwise be restricted to high-privilege administrators or different organizational units.\nThis indicates a breakdown in the enforcement of the Least Privilege principle within the platform's API management framework. Because the vulnerability is accessible via remote network interfaces, an attacker does not require physical proximity to the underlying infrastructure, increasing the scope of the threat.\nThe affected versions, specifically the 10.0.8.x and 12.1.x branches, demonstrate consistent failures in authorization verification for certain administrative or operational interfaces. The payload in such an exploitation scenario generally consists of standard HTTPS requests crafted to query restricted objects. Because the application logic incorrectly assumes the requester has the requisite authority based on the initial authentication state, the backend processes the request and leaks the requested data in the response body.\nPost-exploitation, the attacker can systematically scrape sensitive information by iterating through accessible endpoints that lack robust server-side authorization checks. This potentially exposes intellectual property, API keys, service integration details, and other metadata critical to the security posture of the API gateway.\nThe vulnerability highlights the need for consistent authorization checks across all layers of the API Connect service architecture, ensuring that every request is contextually validated against the user's identity and specific permissions before data is released to the client."
}