CVE-2024-56339 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE • 08/07/2025
IBM WebSphere Application Server 9.0 and WebSphere Application Server Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 25.0.0.7 could allow a remote attacker to bypass security restrictions caused by a failure to honor security configuration.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 12/22/2025
IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 9.0 and WebSphere Application Server Liberty versions 17.0.0.3 through 25.0.0.7 contain a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to circumvent established security controls. This vulnerability stems from the application server's failure to properly enforce security configurations, creating an avenue for unauthorized access to protected resources. The flaw represents a fundamental breakdown in the security architecture where authentication and authorization mechanisms are bypassed, allowing malicious actors to access restricted application functionalities without proper credentials or permissions.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability involves a misconfiguration handling issue within the security enforcement layer of the application server. When security settings are configured to restrict access to specific resources or functionalities, the server fails to properly validate these restrictions during runtime execution. This misconfiguration can occur in various security contexts including role-based access control, authentication mechanisms, and authorization policies that are typically enforced at the application server level. The flaw manifests when the server processes requests and fails to cross-reference the configured security policies against the actual access attempts, effectively rendering security controls ineffective.
From an operational impact perspective, this vulnerability poses significant risks to organizations relying on IBM WebSphere Application Server for their enterprise applications. Remote attackers can exploit this weakness to gain unauthorized access to sensitive data, perform administrative functions, or manipulate application resources without detection. The potential attack surface includes any application hosted on the vulnerable server that depends on the security controls provided by the application server itself. This vulnerability particularly affects environments where WebSphere is used for hosting critical business applications, financial systems, or any platform requiring strict access controls and data protection measures.
The security implications extend beyond simple unauthorized access, as this vulnerability can serve as a stepping stone for more sophisticated attacks within the compromised environment. Attackers can leverage this bypass to escalate privileges, conduct data exfiltration, or establish persistent access points within the network infrastructure. The vulnerability aligns with CWE-693 security feature design flaw, which specifically addresses situations where security features are not properly implemented or enforced. This weakness can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1078.004, which covers legitimate credentials and privileges, as attackers can exploit this flaw to gain access without requiring additional credential theft or privilege escalation techniques.
Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches provided by IBM, reviewing and strengthening security configuration settings, and implementing additional monitoring controls to detect unauthorized access attempts. Network segmentation and firewall rules should be enhanced to limit access to vulnerable WebSphere instances, while comprehensive logging and alerting should be enabled to identify potential exploitation attempts. Security teams should also conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any applications or services that may be affected by this security bypass mechanism, ensuring that all WebSphere installations are updated to versions that address this specific flaw.