Description

IBM API Connect 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 could allow a remote authenticated attacker to obtain sensitive information due to a server-side request forgery vulnerability.

Executive Summary

Technical Details

Mitigations

References

Additional Metadata

{
  "score": "8.5",
  "pubDate": "2026-11-07T05:18:52.500Z",
  "pubdate": "2026-11-07T05:18:52.500Z",
  "executiveSummary": "A Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) vulnerability has been identified in IBM API Connect versions 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12.\nThis flaw allows a remote, authenticated attacker to manipulate the server into initiating unauthorized requests to arbitrary internal or external resources.\nThe vulnerability resides in the application's request-handling logic, which fails to adequately validate or restrict destination URLs provided during certain API operations.\nSuccessful exploitation permits the attacker to bypass network perimeter defenses, potentially accessing sensitive internal metadata services, unauthorized APIs, or protected backend systems.\nThe primary risk involves the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information and the potential for internal network reconnaissance.\nThis vulnerability necessitates authentication to the API Connect platform, implying that an attacker must possess valid credentials to execute the exploit.\nOrganizations using the affected versions are at risk of lateral movement within their internal infrastructure if the API gateway has network connectivity to sensitive internal resources.",
  "technicalDetails": "The root cause of this vulnerability is the improper implementation of input validation and request filtering within the IBM API Connect server-side components. When the application processes user-supplied input intended to trigger outbound requests, it fails to perform sufficient verification of the destination endpoint.\nThe attack flow initiates when an authenticated user supplies a crafted request to the API Connect management or gateway interface. The application processes this input and, lacking restrictive allow-listing or URI sanitization, interprets the payload as a legitimate request destination. Consequently, the underlying server executes an outbound request to the target URI as defined by the attacker.\nBecause the request originates from the API Connect server, the traffic is often treated as trusted by internal services that may not expect external-facing traffic. This effectively bypasses standard firewall or network segmentation controls intended to protect internal resources from external exposure.\nExploitation allows the attacker to reach endpoints that are otherwise unreachable from the internet. This includes, but is not limited to, cloud metadata services (such as 169.254.169.254), internal configuration endpoints, or internal microservices that assume security based on network location rather than cryptographic authentication.\nVulnerable versions include the range 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12. The scope of the vulnerability is limited to authenticated sessions, meaning the attacker must be authorized within the context of the IBM API Connect environment to trigger the vulnerable functionality.\nUpon successful exploitation, the payload behavior manifests as an HTTP or protocol-specific request directed toward the target system. The application then inadvertently reflects or processes the response from the target, which the attacker retrieves to exfiltrate sensitive configuration data, service tokens, or internal operational details. The post-exploitation impact ranges from information disclosure to potential service disruption if the targeted internal endpoints are vulnerable to state-changing operations."
}