CVE-2026-2482 in WebSphere Application Server
Summary
by MITRE • 07/29/2026
IBM WebSphere Application Server - Liberty 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.8 is vulnerable to cross-site request forgery which could allow an attacker to execute malicious and unauthorized actions transmitted from a user that the website trusts.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 07/29/2026
The vulnerability in IBM WebSphere Application Server - Liberty versions 17.0.0.3 through 26.0.0.8 represents a critical cross-site request forgery flaw that fundamentally undermines the security posture of web applications relying on this platform. This weakness allows attackers to exploit the trust relationship between users and websites by tricking authenticated users into executing unintended actions without their knowledge or consent. The vulnerability stems from insufficient validation of request origins and lack of proper anti-CSRF token implementation within the Liberty server framework, creating an attack surface where malicious actors can manipulate user sessions and perform unauthorized operations.
The technical exploitation of this CSRF vulnerability occurs when an attacker crafts malicious web requests that appear to originate from a legitimate user session. The Liberty server fails to adequately verify that requests come from authorized sources, allowing attackers to leverage existing authenticated sessions for destructive actions such as modifying user accounts, changing system configurations, or executing administrative commands. This flaw operates at the application layer and can be particularly dangerous in enterprise environments where WebSphere Liberty serves as a middleware platform for critical business applications, potentially enabling attackers to escalate privileges and gain unauthorized access to sensitive data or system resources.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple unauthorized actions to encompass significant risks for enterprise security infrastructure. Organizations using affected Liberty versions face potential data breaches, system compromise, and regulatory compliance violations if attackers successfully exploit the CSRF weakness. The vulnerability affects the fundamental authentication and authorization mechanisms that protect web applications, making it particularly concerning given that Liberty is commonly used in production environments where sensitive business data flows through these servers. Security teams must consider the broader implications for their incident response procedures and risk management frameworks when addressing this particular weakness.
Mitigation strategies for this CSRF vulnerability should include immediate implementation of proper anti-CSRF token mechanisms within applications deployed on affected Liberty versions, along with comprehensive security patching to address the root cause. Organizations should also implement additional security controls such as Content Security Policy headers, proper session management configurations, and network-level protections to reduce attack surface exposure. The flaw aligns with CWE-352 which specifically addresses cross-site request forgery vulnerabilities, and can be mapped to ATT&CK technique T1566 for social engineering attacks that leverage CSRF weaknesses. Regular security assessments and penetration testing should be conducted to ensure proper implementation of CSRF protection mechanisms, while also monitoring for potential exploitation attempts in production environments where these vulnerable versions remain operational.