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VulnerabilityPublished Updated

CVE-2026-14446: IBM WebSphere Application Server · Missing Authentication

Affects IBM WebSphere Application ServerSource CVE Database V5

0

Not known to be exploited · CVSS 9.8 Critical.

Data as of 27 Oct 2026, 17:11 UTC

CVSS 3.1 base score
9.8Critical
How severe the flaw is on the 0–10 CVSS scale.
EPSS
0.5% chance of exploitation in 30 days – higher than 44% of CVEsExploit Prediction Scoring System: the likelihood attackers will use this flaw soon.
CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H

Exploitation evidence

  1. Disclosed: evidence found.

    CVE published 28 Jul 2026

  2. Detectable: no evidence on record.

    No public nuclei template indexed

  3. Weaponised: no evidence on record.

    No public exploit code indexed in Metasploit or Exploit-DB

  4. Exploited in the wild: no evidence on record.

    Not in CISA KEV and no source reports exploitation

  5. Observed by OffSeq Mirage: no evidence on record.

    No attack traffic recorded by OffSeq Mirage sensors

A missing step is not evidence of safety. Sources: cve.org (opens in a new tab), the Metasploit, Exploit-DB and nuclei-templates index as of 26 Oct 2026.

What to do

Affected software

ProductAffectedFixed in
IBMWebSphere Application ServerAffected
  • =9.0
  • =8.5
Fixed in–

CPE configurations (4)

  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:9.0.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:8.5:*:*:*:*:*:*:*
  • cpe:2.3:a:ibm:websphere_application_server:8.5.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*

AI-suggested

Until an official fix is released, organizations should consider restricting access to the administrative console through network controls such as IP whitelisting or VPN access. Monitoring for unusual access patterns to the administrative interface is also advisable. Avoid exposing the administrative console to untrusted networks.

Description

IBM WebSphere Application Server versions 8.5 and 9.0 contain a critical vulnerability (CVE-2026-14446) involving missing authentication for a critical function in the administrative console. This flaw allows unauthorized users to bypass access controls, potentially leading to privilege escalation. The vulnerability has a CVSS score of 9.8, indicating a critical severity with high impact on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. No official patch or remediation guidance is currently available from the vendor. There are no known exploits in the wild at this time.

References

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