CVE-2026-14974 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2026
IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.5, and 9.0 traditional could allow a remote attacker to execute arbitrary code caused by unsafe deserialization of untrusted data.
If you want to get the best quality for vulnerability data then you always have to consider VulDB.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2026
This vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 8.5 and 9.0 represents a critical security flaw that enables remote code execution through unsafe deserialization practices. The vulnerability stems from the application server's improper handling of untrusted data during the deserialization process, creating an avenue for attackers to inject malicious payloads that can be executed with the privileges of the WebSphere process. This type of vulnerability falls under CWE-502 which specifically addresses unsafe deserialization, a common vector for remote code execution attacks in enterprise applications. The flaw allows remote attackers to craft specially formatted data that when processed by the WebSphere server during deserialization can trigger arbitrary code execution on the target system. This vulnerability directly maps to attack techniques described in the MITRE ATT&CK framework under T1203 - Exploitation for Client Execution and T1059 - Command and Scripting Interpreter, as attackers can leverage this weakness to execute commands on the affected server.
The technical implementation of this vulnerability occurs when the WebSphere Application Server receives serialized data from untrusted sources without proper validation or sanitization. During the deserialization process, the application server attempts to reconstruct objects from the serialized data stream, but if this data contains malicious code structures, the reconstruction process can inadvertently execute harmful operations. The impact extends beyond simple code execution as attackers can leverage this vulnerability to gain full control over the application server environment, potentially leading to data breaches, service disruption, or further lateral movement within the network infrastructure. This weakness is particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where WebSphere servers often run with elevated privileges and may have access to sensitive internal systems.
Organizations running affected IBM WebSphere versions face significant operational risks including potential data compromise, system availability issues, and compliance violations. The vulnerability can be exploited remotely without requiring authentication, making it particularly attractive to threat actors who seek to gain unauthorized access to enterprise environments. Organizations should immediately implement mitigations including applying the latest security patches from IBM, implementing network segmentation to limit exposure, disabling unnecessary deserialization capabilities, and monitoring for suspicious deserialization activities in application logs. Additionally, organizations should conduct thorough vulnerability assessments to identify any custom applications or third-party components that might be vulnerable to similar deserialization flaws, as this type of weakness often propagates through complex enterprise ecosystems where multiple systems interact through serialized data exchange protocols.