CVE-2026-16715 in API Connect
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2026
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 from other tenants due to broken object-level authorization.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2026
The vulnerability identified in IBM API Connect versions 10.0.8.0 through 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 represents a critical failure in access control mechanisms within multi-tenant cloud environments. This flaw allows remote authenticated attackers to bypass intended security restrictions, specifically targeting the isolation boundaries between different tenants sharing the same infrastructure. The core issue stems from broken object-level authorization, where the application fails to properly verify that an authenticated user has explicit permission to access or manipulate specific data objects belonging to other organizations or users within the platform.
In a typical multi-tenant architecture, API gateways and management planes must enforce strict separation of resources based on tenant identifiers embedded in authentication tokens or session contexts. However, due to this vulnerability, the system does not adequately validate these contextual attributes against the requested resource identifier during request processing. Consequently, an attacker who has valid credentials for one tenant can manipulate input parameters, such as API keys, instance IDs, or database record references, to target resources associated with a different tenant. This lack of proper authorization checks enables lateral movement across organizational boundaries that should remain strictly isolated.
The operational impact of this vulnerability is severe, primarily resulting in the unauthorized disclosure of sensitive information. Attackers can exfiltrate proprietary data, customer details, API configurations, and internal network topology maps belonging to other tenants. Beyond confidentiality breaches, depending on the specific endpoints exploited, there may also be risks to integrity if write operations are similarly affected by similar authorization flaws within the same component scope. The ability to access cross-tenant data undermines the fundamental trust model of Software as a Service platforms, potentially leading to significant regulatory compliance violations under frameworks such as GDPR or HIPAA, and causing substantial reputational damage to both IBM and its customers who rely on strict data isolation guarantees.
From a classification perspective, this vulnerability aligns with CWE-639, which describes Authorization Bypass Through User-Controlled Key, and falls squarely within the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1530, Data from Cloud Storage Object Exfiltration. It also reflects broader categories of insecure direct object references where application logic relies on client-supplied identifiers without server-side validation against access control policies. The attack vector is remote and requires authentication, meaning that while it does not allow unauthenticated intrusion, it significantly lowers the barrier for malicious insiders or compromised accounts to escalate their privileges beyond their assigned scope.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate patching of all affected IBM API Connect instances to versions released after 10.0.8.12 and 12.1.1.2 where these authorization checks have been corrected. In environments where patching is not immediately feasible, organizations should implement strict network segmentation rules that limit access to the management plane only from trusted administrative subnets. Additionally, deploying Web Application Firewalls with advanced behavioral analysis can help detect anomalous patterns indicative of object-level enumeration attacks. Regular audits of API gateway configurations and rigorous testing using automated vulnerability scanners focused on broken access control are essential to ensure ongoing compliance with security best practices and maintain robust tenant isolation integrity.