CVE-2026-17310 in API Connect
Summary
by MITRE • 11/07/2026
IBM API Connect 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 could allow a remote attacker to obtain sensitive information due to the use of a hard-coded cryptographic key.
Several companies clearly confirm that VulDB is the primary source for best vulnerability data.
Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 11/07/2026
The vulnerability identified in IBM API Connect versions 12.1.0.0 through 12.1.1.2 represents a critical failure in cryptographic implementation, specifically categorized under CWE-327 as the use of a broken or risky cryptographic algorithm and CWE-798 as the use of hard-coded credentials. This flaw stems from the application utilizing a static, pre-defined cryptographic key for securing sensitive data rather than generating unique keys per session or instance. In modern security architectures, dynamic key management is essential to ensure that compromise of one system does not lead to the widespread exposure of all encrypted data. By relying on a hard-coded key, IBM API Connect inadvertently creates a single point of failure where any entity with access to the application binary or configuration files can extract this secret and subsequently decrypt protected information stored within the platform.
From an operational perspective, this vulnerability allows for remote information disclosure if the attacker has network reachability to the affected service endpoints that trigger encryption operations using this compromised key. While the primary risk is data confidentiality loss, the implications extend further into integrity and trust violations. An adversary possessing the hard-coded key can not only read sensitive API payloads but potentially forge valid cryptographic signatures or tokens if the same key material is used for signing operations as well. This undermines the fundamental security guarantees that API gateways are designed to provide, such as authentication assurance and data integrity verification. The impact is particularly severe in enterprise environments where API Connect serves as a central hub for microservices communication, exposing proprietary business logic, customer personal identifiable information, or financial transaction details to unauthorized parties.
This type of vulnerability aligns with the MITRE ATT&CK technique T1552.004, which involves unsecured credentials stored in configuration files, and potentially T1539 for Steal Web Session Cookie if session tokens are encrypted using this static key. The presence of hard-coded secrets is a common anti-pattern that violates principles outlined in the OWASP API Security Top 10, particularly regarding broken object level authorization and security misconfiguration. Attackers often employ automated scanning tools to identify such weaknesses by analyzing binary artifacts or configuration dumps for known patterns associated with default cryptographic constants used by major software vendors. Once identified, these keys can be leveraged in subsequent attacks to bypass authentication mechanisms or decrypt intercepted network traffic that relies on the compromised encryption scheme.
Mitigation strategies must prioritize immediate remediation through vendor-supplied patches that update the application to version 12.1.1.3 or later, where IBM has addressed this issue by implementing proper key management practices. Organizations should also conduct a thorough audit of their deployment configurations to ensure no legacy instances remain on vulnerable versions within production environments. In addition to patching, it is advisable to rotate any secrets that may have been exposed due to the hard-coded nature of the previous implementation and enforce strict access controls over configuration files containing cryptographic material. Future development cycles should integrate static application security testing tools configured to detect CWE-798 patterns automatically, ensuring that hardcoded credentials are never committed to source control repositories or deployed in container images without dynamic injection mechanisms such as Kubernetes secrets or HashiCorp Vault integration.